Kundalini yoga is a physical, mental and spiritual discipline which is a consolidation of the highest physical and meditative techniques found in the teachings of Raja yoga, Shakti yoga, Bhakti yoga, tantra, Kriya yoga, Laya-yoga, Nada yoga and the pillars and Yoga Sutra of Patanjali. Kundalini yoga is called ”the yoga of awareness” because it directly affects ones consciousness, develops intuition, increases self knowledge, and unleashes the unlimited creative potential that exists within every human being.

Kundalini yoga is a highly developed spiritual science with an obscure and multicultural history which, according to Hindu tradition, relies upon a technique called ”shaktipat” to attain enlightenment under the guidance of a spiritual master. Mainstream traditions have shown that kundalini energy can be awakened and enlightenment attained by practicing a combination of yogic techniques – ideally following the guidance of a certified teacher – including the use of mantra, prana and breathing techniques, sadhana, asana practice, meditation, or purely through devotion and prayer.

Adapted from the Wikipedia article Kundalini yoga, under the G. N. U. Free Documentation License. Please also see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki

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Traditional sources

A traditional method given by The Buddha in the Satipatthana Sutta is to go into the forest and sit beneath a tree and then to simply watch the breath, if the breath is long, to notice that the breath is long, if the breath is short, to notice that the breath is short.

While inhaling and exhaling, the meditator practises:

*training the mind to be sensitive to one or more of: the entire body, rapture, pleasure, the mind itself, and mental processes

*training the mind to be focused on one or more of: inconstancy, dispassion, cessation, and relinquishment

*steadying, satisfying, or releasing the mind.

A popular non-canonical method used today, loosely based on the Visuddhimagga, follows four stages:

#counting each breath at the end of exhalation

#counting each breath at the beginning of inhalation

#focusing on the breath without counting

#focusing only on the spot where the breath enters and leaves the nostrils (i.e., the nostril and upper lip area).

Modern sources

First, for the practice to be successful, one should dedicate the practice, and set out the goal of the meditation session, as in all Buddhist practice sessions. One may decide to either practice ānāpānasati while seated or while walking, or to alternate seated and walking meditation. Then one generally concentrates on the breath going through one’s nose, on the light pressure in the nostrils on the inhalation, turning the attention to the feeling of the breath’s movement past the upper lip on the exhalation. Other times practitioners are advised to attend to the breath at the tanden, a point slightly below the navel and beneath the surface of the body. Practitioners may sometimes also count each inhalation, “1, 2, 3,…” and so on, up to 10, and then begin from 1 again. Alternatively one can choose to count the exhalation, “1, 2, 3,…” or both the inhalation and exhalation.

The type of practice recommended in The Three Pillars of Zen is for one to count “1, 2, 3,…” on the inhalation for a while, then to eventually switch to counting on the exhalation, then eventually, once one has more consistent success in keeping track of the count, to begin to pay attention to the breath without counting. There are practitioners who only count the breath all their lives as well, never attending without counting. Beginning students are often told to keep their practice short, perhaps about 10 or 15 minutes a day.

When one becomes distracted from the breath, which happens, either by a thought or something else, then one simply returns their attention to the breath. If the count is lost then one starts again from the beginning.

Thoughts often arise in the mind. These thoughts may sometimes be profound, but most of the time they are just so many thoughts. We may think one thing, then respond to that thought, then respond to that second thought; these are called first, second and third nen. Practitioners are tutored to return to their breath repeatedly as thoughts or sights distract them from attending to their breath, leaving behind these and those so many thoughts.

Active breathing, passive breathing

Anapanasati is most commonly practiced with attention centered on the breath, while breathing let done naturally. One exception to this is the bamboo method, during which time one will inhale in short gasps and then exhale in short gasps, as if running one’s hand along the stalk of a bamboo tree.

In the throat singing prevalent amongst the Buddhist monks of Tibet and

Mongolia the long and slow outbreath during chanting is the core

of the practice. The sound of the chant also serves to focus the mind in one-pointed concentration samadhi, while the sense of self dissolves as awareness becomes absorbed into a realm of pure sound. In Zen meditation, the emphasis is upon maintaining ””strength in the abdominal area”” (dantian or “tanden”) and slow deep breathing during the

long outbreath, again to assist the attainment of a mental state of one-pointed concentration.

Benefits

It has been scientifically demonstrated that practicing ānāpānasati will improve the ability to sustain one’s attention to any stimuli, as well as improving executive functioning, and slowing the natural aging process of the brain. See also Research on meditation.

Adapted from the Wikipedia article Anapanasati, under the G. N. U. Free Documentation License. Please also see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki

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Tantra is a set of esoteric Indian traditions with roots in Hinduism and later Buddhism (which is a separate Dharma). Tantra is often divided by its practitioners into two different paths: ”dakshinachara” and ”vamachara”, translated as ”Right-Hand Path” and ”Left-Hand Path” respectively. Dakshinachara consists of traditional Hindu practices such as asceticism and meditation, while vamachara also includes ritual practices that conflict with mainstream Hinduism, such as sexual rituals, consumption of alcohol and other intoxicants, animal sacrifice, and flesh-eating. The two paths are viewed by Tantrists as equally valid approaches to enlightenment. Vamachara, however, is considered to be the faster and more dangerous of the two paths, and is not suitable for all practitioners. This usage of the terms Left-Hand Path and Right-Hand Path is still current in modern Tantra.

The difference between the right hand path and the left hand path is eloquently explained by Julius Evola in the book The Yoga of Power:

“There is a significant difference between the two Tantric paths, that of the right hand and that of the left hand (which both are under Shiva’s aegis). In the former, the adept always experiences ‘someone above him’, even at the highest level of realization. In the latter, ‘he becomes the ultimate Sovereign’ (chakravartin = worldruler).”

Adapted from the Wikipedia article Left-Hand Path and Right-Hand Path, under the G. N. U. Free Documentation License. Please also see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki

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NCCAM was established in October 1991, as the “Office of Alternative Medicine” (OAM), which was re-established as NCCAM in October 1998. Its mission statement declares that it is “dedicated to exploring complementary and alternative healing practices in the context of rigorous science; training complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) researchers; and disseminating authoritative information to the public and professionals.”

Joseph M. Jacobs was appointed the first director of the Office of Alternative Medicine (OAM) in 1992. Initially, Jacobs’ insistence on rigorous scientific methdology caused friction with the Office’s patrons, such as Senator Tom Harkin. Harkin criticized the “unbendable rules of randomized clinical trials” and, citing his use of bee pollen to treat his allergies, stated: “It is not necessary for the scientific community to understand the process before the American public can benefit from these therapies.” Harkin’s office reportedly pressured the OAM to fund studies of specific “pet theories”, including bee pollen and antineoplastons. In the face of increasing resistance to the use of scientific methodology in the study of alternative medicine, one of the OAM board members, Barrie Cassileth, publicly criticized the office, saying: “The degree to which nonsense has trickled down to every aspect of this office is astonishing… It’s the only place where opinions are counted as equal to data.” Finally, in 1994, Harkin appeared on television with cancer patients who blamed Jacobs of blocking their access to antineoplastons, leading Jacobs to resign from the OAM in frustration with the political climate.

With the OAM’s increasing budget in the 1990s, the Office drew increasing criticism for disdaining the scientific study of alternative approaches in favor of uncritical boosterism. Paul Berg, a Nobel laureate in chemistry, wrote to the Senate that “Quackery will always prey on the gullible and uninformed, but we should not provide it with cover from the N.I.H.” Allen Bromley, then president of the American Physical Society, similarly wrote to Congress that the OAM had “emerged as an undiscriminate advocate of unconventional medicine. It has bestowed the considerable prestige of the NIH on a variety of highly dubious practices, some of which clearly violate basic laws of physics and more clearly resemble witchcraft.” A ”New York Times” editorial described the OAM as “Tom Harkin’s folly”.

Ultimately, in 1998 the Office of Alternative Medicine was elevated to the status of an NIH Center and renamed the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM). With the increasing profile and budget of the Center, Stephen Straus, a former laboratory chief at the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease, was brought in to head NCCAM with a mandate to promote a more rigorous and scientific approach to the study of alternative medicine. On January 24, 2008, Josephine P. Briggs, M.D., was named Director of NCCAM.

The NCCAM funds research into complementary and alternative medicine, including support for clinical trials of CAM techniques.

Focus

The four primary areas of focus are:

*Research – support clinical and basic science research projects in CAM by awarding grants across the country and around the world; we also design, study, and analyze clinical and laboratory-based studies on the NIH campus in Bethesda, Maryland.

*Research training and career development – award grants that provide training and career development opportunities for predoctoral, postdoctoral, and career researchers.

*Outreach – sponsor conferences, educational programs, and exhibits; operate an information clearinghouse to answer inquiries and requests for information; provide a Web site and printed publications; and hold town meetings at selected locations in the United States.

*Integration – integrate scientifically proven CAM practices into conventional medicine by announcing published research results; studying ways to integrate evidence-based CAM practices into conventional medical practice; and supporting programs to develop models for incorporating CAM into the curriculum of medical, dental, and nursing schools.

The forms of medical systems covered include:

* Whole medical systems such as homeopathy, naturopathy, traditional Chinese medicine, and ayurveda.

* Mind-body medicine such as meditation, prayer, mental healing, art therapy, music therapy, and dance therapy.

* Biologically based practices such as dietary supplements, herbal supplements, and other scientifically unproven therapies such as shark cartilage.

* Manipulative and Body-Based Practices such as spinal manipulation (both chiropractic and osteopathic) and massage.

* Energy therapies such as qi gong, reiki, therapeutic touch, and electromagnetic therapy.

Operations

The NCCAM charter states that “Of the 18 appointed members (of the council) 12 shall be selected from among the leading representatives of the health and scientific disciplines (including not less than 2 individuals who are leaders in the fields of public health and the behavioral or social sciences) relevant to the activities of the NCCAM, particularly representatives of the health and scientific disciplines in the area of complementary and alternative medicine. Nine of the members shall be practitioners licensed in one or more of the major systems with which the Center is involved. Six of the members shall be appointed by the Secretary from the general public and shall include leaders in the fields of public policy, law, health policy, economics, and management. Three of the six shall represent the interests of individual consumers of complementary and alternative medicine.”.

The NCCAM budget for 2005 was $123 million. For fiscal year 2009 (ending September 30, 2009), it was $122 million.

Research in alternative medicine is done elsewhere at NIH, notably in the National Cancer Institute. The NIH’s Office of Cancer Complementary and Alternative Medicine had the same budget as NCCAM, $122 million, for fiscal year 2009. Other parts of NIH had an additional $50 million for FY 2009; NIH’s total budget was about $29 billion.

Adapted from the Wikipedia article National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine, under the G. N. U. Free Documentation License. Please also see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki

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Surya Namaskara (IAST: ”Sūrya namaskāra”) or Sun Salutation (lit. “salute to the sun”), is a common sequence of Hatha yoga asanas. Its origins lie in a worship of Surya, the Hindu solar deity. This sequence of movements and poses can be practised on varying levels of awareness, ranging from that of physical exercise in various styles, to a complete ”sadhana” which incorporates ”asana”, ”pranayama”, ”mantra” and chakra meditation.

The physical base of the practice links together twelve ”asanas” in a dynamically performed series. These ”asanas” are ordered so that they alternately stretch the spine backwards and forwards. When performed in the usual way, each ”asana” is moved into with alternate inhalation and exhalation (except for the sixth ”asana” where the breath is held in external suspension). A full round of ”Surya namaskara” is considered to be two sets of the twelve poses with a change in the second set to moving the opposite leg first through the series.

Proponents of the use of ”Surya namaskara” as part of the modern yoga tradition prefer to perform it at sunrise, which the orthodox consider to be the most ‘spiritually favorable’ time of the day.

Adapted from the Wikipedia article Surya Namaskara, under the G. N. U. Free Documentation License. Please also see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki

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Dantian, dan tien or tan t’ien ( dāntián ; tanden; danjeon; dantian literally “cinnabar or red field”) is loosely translated as “elixir field”. It is described as an important focal point for internal meditative techniques.

There are various points of dantian. There is one at the top of skull (top dantian), one at forehead (up dantian), one below the heart (middle dantian), one down and beneath naval point (low dantian) and one at the sole of the feet (bottom dantian). However, dantian usually refers to the physical center of gravity located in the abdomen (about three finger widths below and two finger widths behind the navel).

The dantian is important in Neidan, qigong, neigong, tao yin and other breathing techniques, as well as in traditional Chinese medicine and meditation. In Eastern martial arts, the middle dantian is particularly important as it become the focal point of breathing technique as well as the centre of balance and gravity.

Taoist and Buddhist teachers often instruct their students to center their mind in the dantian. This is believed to aid control of thoughts and emotions. Acting from the dantian is considered to be related to the state of samadhi.

The dantian also roughly corresponds to the Indian concept of the ”manipura”, or navel ”chakra”. In yoga philosophy, it is thought to be the seat of ”prana” that radiates outwards to the entire body.

Adapted from the Wikipedia article Dantian, under the G. N. U. Free Documentation License. Please also see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki

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* Karl Sanders — Baglama Saz, acoustic guitar, electric guitar, E-bow, guitar/synth, keyboards, bass guitar

* Mike Brezeale — vocals

* Pete Hammoura — drums, percussion

Special guests

* Shawn Allen — Acoustic guitar on “Whence No Traveler Returns”

* Dallas Toler-Wade — Harmony vocals on “The Elder God Shrine”

* David Vincent — Narration on “The Forbidden Path Across the Chasm of Self Realization”

* Juan Gonzalez: Drums on “Beckon the Sick Winds of Pestilence”, lead gong on “Whence No Traveler Returns”, harmony vocals on “The Elder God Shrine”

Category:2004 albums

Category:Relapse Records albums

pl:Saurian Meditation

fi:Saurian Meditation
Adapted from the Wikipedia article Saurian Meditation, under the G. N. U. Free Documentation License. Please also see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki

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The popularization in the West of the medical aspect of Yoga is largely attributed to Dr.Swami Sivananda Saraswati’s Bihar School of Yoga. Most yoga classes consist of a combination of physical exercises, breathing exercises, and meditation. These characteristics make yoga a particularly beneficial kind of exercise for people with certain health conditions, including heart disease/hypertension, asthma, and back problems.

For people with heart problems, studies have shown yoga to help people young and old. Specifically, yoga seems to promote heart health in several ways, including regulating high blood pressure and improving resistance to psychological stress. Yoga also has the potential to buffer against the harmful effects of bodily self-objectification as well as to promote embodiment and well-being.

Adapted from the Wikipedia article Yoga as exercise or alternative medicine, under the G. N. U. Free Documentation License. Please also see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki

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In 1962, Everett immigrated to the United States, and first traveled to Kansas where his initial intent was to become a minister in the Unity School of Christianity. He worked for the Unity Church for a short time in Kansas City. In 1963, Everett gave up his path to becoming a minister, and instead helped establish a preparatory school in Fort Worth, Texas, Fort Worth Country Day School, where he was also an instructor. There he also encountered Jose Silva, founder of the Silva Mind Control method, and began to study techniques of mind control, self-hypnosis, and meditation.

Everett utilized the techniques learned in Jose Silva’s Mind Control methodology, as well as concepts from Edgar Cayce, to form the Mind Dynamics course in 1968. Everett and his Mind Dynamics course was the subject of Jess Stern’s book, The Power Of Alpha Thinking (1969). One of the many influential graduates included Dr. O. Carl Simonton of the Simonton Cancer Center. Mind Dynamics was a precursor to other groups that used similar techniques. Alexander was often referred to as “The Teacher of Teachers” and “The Father of the Human Potential Movement” … as his employees included Werner Erhard, founder of “est” Erhard Seminars Training and the Landmark Forum; John Hanely, founder of Lifespring; James H. and Janet Quinn, founders of LifeStream; Randy Revell, founder of Context Trainings; Tom and Jane Willhite, founders of PSI World; Robert White, founder of ARC and Life Dynamics; Howard Nease, founder of Personal Dynamics; Bill Schwartz, founder of the Meditation Institute of Milwaukee; Stuart Emery, founder of Actualizations, and Russ and Carol Bishop with Insight. The first form of Mind Dynamics was non-confrontational, did not involve direct interaction with course participants, and participants did not share of their own personal experiences in the coursework. In 1970, Everett moved the headquarters of his company from Texas to San Francisco, California, and the company was bought out by William Penn Patrick in the same year. Patrick was the owner of Holiday Magic, a cosmetics company, and Leadership Dynamics, a similar company to Mind Dynamics that used more confrontational techniques. Though Mind Dynamics was structured as a for-profit, self-improvement company, it was also described as a spiritual discipline. Everett stated that one of the goals of Mind Dynamics was to “get people to a higher dimension of mind”.

Werner Erhard was a student of Everett’s, and became an instructor in his own right in the Mind Dynamics training. After reaching the level of instructor, Erhard was also chosen by Everett to be responsible for Mind Dynamics course development. Alexander Everett offered Erhard a vice-presidency in the company and a larger salary, but Erhard instead took his staff including Laurel Scheaf and Gonneke Spits to form Erhard Seminars Training. Everett was present in the hotel ballroom when Werner Erhard led his last Mind Dynamics course, and announced to the audience that he would be soon forming a new company. Though Everett publicly went up on stage and stated his support for Erhard and was sorry to see him go, privately he was furious with Erhard for planning his exit and new company behind Everett’s back. John Hanley, who later went on to form Lifespring also was influenced by Mind Dynamics and Everett. The course spread to Australia and Europe, but was shut down in 1973 along with Leadership Dynamics and Holiday Magic, when William Penn Patrick died in a plane crash. Patrick’s companies were being investigated by the United States government on allegations of pyramid schemes. However, the Mind Dynamics course still had a huge effect on the New Age movement.

Adapted from the Wikipedia article Alexander Everett, under the G. N. U. Free Documentation License. Please also see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki

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Traditional Hatha Yoga is a holistic yogic path, including moral disciplines, physical postures (asana), purification procedures (shatkriya), poses (mudra), yogic breathing (pranayama), and meditation. The Hatha yoga predominantly practiced in the West consists of mostly asanas understood as physical exercises. It is also recognized as a stress-reducing practice.

Hatha Yoga is one of the two branches of Yoga that focuses on the physical culture, the other one being Raja Yoga. Both of these are commonly referred to as Sadanga Yoga, i.e., Yoga of six parts (‘sad’ meaning six and ‘anga’ meaning limbs). The six limbs are described below in detail. Svatmarama emphasizes many times in his Hathapradipika text that there is no Raja Yoga without Hatha Yoga and no Hatha Yoga without Raja Yoga. The main difference is that Raja Yoga uses asanas mainly to get the body ready for prolonged meditation, and hence focuses more on the meditative asana poses: Lotus Posture (padmasana), Accomplished Posture (siddhasana), Easy Posture (sukhasana) and Pelvic Posture (vajrasana). Hatha Yoga utilizes not only meditative postures but also cultural postures. Similarly, Raja Yoga’s use of Pranayama is also devoid of extensive locks (bandha).

Hatha represents opposing energies: hot and cold (fire and water, following similar concept as yin-yang), male and female, positive and negative. Hatha yoga attempts to balance mind and body via physical postures or “asanas”, purification practices, controlled breathing, and the calming of the mind through relaxation and meditation. Asanas teach poise, balance and strength and are practiced to improve the body’s physical health and clear the mind in preparation for meditation in the pursuit of enlightenment. However if an individual has too much phlegm or fat then purification procedures are a necessity before undertaking pranayama.

Ashtanga is the yoga of Patanjali, the compiler of the Yoga Sutras. It is composed of eight limbs: Yama and Niyama, which are ethical observations; Asana; Pranayama, which is breath control; Pratyahara, which is sense withdrawal; Dharana, which is concentration; Dhyana, which is meditation; and Samadhi, which is a high state of concentration, mastery of the mind.. The eight limbs are more precisely viewed as eight levels of progress, each level providing benefits in and of itself and also laying the foundation for the higher levels. Frequently Ashtanga Yoga of Patanjali is being confused with Raja Yoga, Patanjali nowhere in his sutras uses the term Raja Yoga.

Note: Hatha Yoga consists of six limbs focused on attaining Samadhi. In this scheme, the six limbs of Hatha Yoga are defined as Asana, Pranayama, Pratyahara, Dharana, Dhyana and Samadhi. The basic text of Hatha Yoga is Hathapradipika by Svatmarama, a grand disciple of Sahajananda (from the lineage of Sopana, the younger brother of Jnaneshwar Maharaj of Alandi near Pune). An important part of hatha practices is awakening of Kundalini. The signs of success in hatha yoga are slenderness of the body, cheerful face, hearing mystical sound, bright eyes, sense of well-being, control over the bindu, increase in gastric fire and purification of the nadis.

Adapted from the Wikipedia article Hatha yoga, under the G. N. U. Free Documentation License. Please also see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki

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