What is the difference between Christ consciousness and cosmic consciousness? Both Christ and Cosmic refer to one and the same ultimate consciousness. There are many levels of consciousness. Christ is the ultimate beyond which nobody can go. Jesus is the individual (a river) whereas Christ (ocean) is universal. Once a river merges into the

Every year, Guru Purnima, the full moon day of July (the Hindi month of Ashadh), is celebrated to honor the Guru. The word, “Guru” has no exact translation in English. The literal meaning of the word “Guru” is the remover of psychic darkness. Just as the darkness is dispelled when

What makes kundalini yoga different is that the yoga that is best suited to your temperament begins to unfold spontaneously. After having the kundalini awakening as a result of shaktipat, meditation happens to you naturally without any effort on your part. In other words, meditation goes after you! In Sanskrit,

Lord Jesus’ birth has become such a significant event in the history of humanity that we use B.C. (“Before Christ”) and A.D. (“Anno Domini” meaning, in the year of our Lord) to measure time. Lord Jesus was a fully enlightened being who inspired mercy, love, and humility. The ultimate statement

When you chase your mind during meditation, it is mentation, not meditation. Have you ever become aware of the gap between your two thoughts? A gap always exists between two thoughts. This gap is called the Self (atman in Sanskrit), Spirit, Consciousness, or I-awareness. If you can settle with full

As far as the ultimate realization of every founder of a religion is concerned, it is the attainment of the same Absolute Reality. It is for this reason that the title “Christ” conveys exactly the same universal consciousness as does the title “Buddha.” Both Christ and Buddha refer to one

Both Christ and Guru refer to one and the same ultimate consciousness. Christ Jesus is the individual (a river) whereas Christ (ocean) is universal. Once a river merges into the ocean, the river is no longer there. The ultimate universal consciousness happened not only to Jesus but also to many

Meditation is a subjective science — it explores the inner world. Through meditation, the bliss of the innermost Self is experienced. Just start meditation by sitting quietly and turning your mind within. Let your mind think whatever it wants. Your goal is not to fight with thoughts whenever thoughts come.

A guru who can give shaktipat initiation is rare. The word “shaktipat” might sound esoteric, but it is a sacred initiation, common to all religions. This initiation has been passed down from guru to disciple, called lineage or Guru Parampara, through the ages. To understand who can give shaktipat, it

Sir John Woodroffe (1865-1936), also known as Arthur Avalon, studied at Oxford University, England and became a judge of the High Court of Calcutta and Professor of Law at the University of Calcutta. His most influential book is The Serpent Power, which refers to the Kundalini energy. In his popular book, The Garland of Letters, he

The secret of secrets to getting into meditation naturally and spontaneously is Shaktipat. It is important to understand what happens in meditation. In meditation, the mind merges into its source, the innermost Self (atman in Sanskrit). What is Shaktipat? According to Shiva Sutra Vimarshini, “Guru paramesvari anugrahika shakti” (“Guru is the grace-bestowing

This is a super deep question about true identity. Most people live in delusion as they are not aware of their true nature. To realize one’s own true nature is the greatest experience in the world. Whatsoever can be watched is completely separate from you. You can watch both your body

The Law of Periodicity (or Law of Rhythm) states that everything in the universe moves in a circle. The sun moves from east to west, coming back to the east to begin a new cycle. More than a century ago in 1903, Rama Tirtha (1873 –1906), who was not only

The only way to develop a personal relationship with a saint is to develop a relationship with your own innermost being (also called Self). Remember, the same saint also lives inside you. The saint (also called guru) and the Self are one and the same. How to develop a relationship with your

The difference between learning, understanding, and experiencing can be easily grasped from the following example: In her childhood, a little girl learns that this is my mother. After a few years, the girl grows up and understands that she is my mother because she gave birth to me. After her marriage, when the girl

Let me answer your question with a question: Do you need to give up your worldly life — home, the family, wife, children, or work — when you go to sleep? Meditation is just an elder brother of deep sleep. Just as deep sleep lies beyond your waking state, so also

It is important to understand what God is before delving into God’s existence. What is God? God is existence –total existence. In fact, existence and God are synonymous. Since existence is God, God exists. God not only exists but God alone exists. To see God as God truly is, one must see God

To know whether meditation or service to humanity is better, you must first understand what meditation really is. The main purpose of meditation is to experience one’s own true being/Self — the source of profound peace. Just as in sleep you find new freshness, vigor, and peace, so also you find even greater

You ask: How am I to consider myself as God? Any example to grasp it? First of all, what does God mean? God means existence — total existence. In fact, existence and God are synonymous. Since existence is God, God exists. God not only exists but God alone exists. To see God as

In Vedanta, Veda means knowledge and anta means last, final, conclusion. Simply put, Vedanta means the last knowledge beyond which no one can speak. For example, Upanishads, which form the final section of the Vedas, come under Vedanta. The core teaching of Vedanta is to experience one’s true nature. To understand sin in Vedanta,

It is a partial awakening if the Kundalini becomes dormant again (the awakening is not sustained). It is a full awakening when the kundalini rises to the Sahasrara – the highest chakra located at the very top of the head and the goal of the Kundalini’s journey. Sahasrara signifies infinity where samadhi is experienced. After this samadhi experience, the

Let me first answer the first part: the Bhagavad Gita says that God lives in every human heart. Then, I will answer your second part: Why do humans do bad things? Here is the exact verse that states that God lives in every human heart: “God lives in the heart of every being” (Bhagavad Gita 18-61)

It is important to understand what God is before delving into God’s existence. What is God? God is existence –total existence. In fact, existence and God are synonymous. Since existence is God, God exists. God not only exists, but God alone exists. To see God as God truly is, one must see God as

Where does God live? The heart is the abode of God. What is this heart? To answer this significant question, first one must understand what God is. What is God? God is existence –total existence. In fact, existence and God are synonymous. Since existence is God, God exists. God not only

First, you must ask yourself what the goal of kundalini awakening is. If someone were to ask me what the goal of kundalini awakening is, I would say it’s to experience one’s own true being. This is the source of all happiness, peace, love, and contentment. Only by experiencing the innermost reality beyond the

Real spiritual masters are not rare. A real spiritual master will never tell that he/she is a real one! Even if someone mentions a certain spiritual master, how can you verify the truth of such an assertion? Unless a seeker is truly worthy, no benefit can accrue by meeting a spiritual master.

Describing what a kundalini awakening is, Swami Vivekananda (1863–1902) writes in his masterpiece Raja Yoga: “When that Kundalini awakens, it tries to force a passage through this hollow canal [Sushumna], and as it rises step by step, as it were, layer after layer of the mind becomes open and all the different visions and wonderful powers

No, not at all! All fears are baseless. It is the rigors of one’s unusual spiritual practices that may cause insanity or disease, not Kundalini. Actually, it is divine Kundalini that removes one’s physical and mental diseases. If Kundalini awakens through the guru’s grace, there is absolutely no danger because the grace itself guides the Kundalini to reach the top

Actually, it is my kundalini awakening experience that led me to write my book, Building a Noble World. Given below is the description adapted from my book, Building a Noble World, along with the following link to my previous answer on Quora: Shiv Jhawar’s answer to What is meant by a partial kundalini

Nadi Shodhana Prānayāma is a simple, yet powerful breathing technique to relax your nervous system. Nadi Shodhana pranayama literally means purification of “nadis” where “nadis” cannot be translated into English. According to Swami Sivananda (1887–1963), a great spiritual master, “Nadis are the astral tubes made up of astral matter that

The universal energy, called Shakti in Sanskrit, resides in every human being and is known as kundalini. Shakti is the active aspect of the Absolute (Shiva). When kundalini awakes, it rises from the base of the spine in the mooladhara chakra through the central channel (sushumna) and unites with Shiva

A best book on kundalini is not merely a book; it is infused with the spiritual energy. I will suggest a couple of books on kundalini to you. But first, you must ask yourself what the goal of kundalini practice is. If someone were to ask me what the goal

An atom bomb can destroy only a person’s physical body of one lifetime whereas meditation can open up the central nerve/channel that can destroy the accumulated karmas of a person’s countless lifetimes. Indeed, meditation is so powerful. The central nerve/channel is also known as sushumna nadi, madhya nadi, or the

When you are identified with your physical body and mind rather than your own inner Spirit (atman in Sanskrit), this weakens you. In reality, you are neither the body nor the mind. If you consider yourself to be something that you are not, that is impure ego (ahamkara in Sanskrit)

When one becomes deeply immersed in prayer, the “I-thou” duality merges into oneness, like in love where beloved and lover no longer exist; only love and love alone remains. That is how prayer turns into meditation. In real meditation (dhyana in Sanskrit), there is only oneness — the pure I-awareness

The nature of the most fundamental question, Who am I?, is such that it can never be answered. However, one can experience one’s own true being through shaktipat. What is shaktipat? Shakti refers to energy and pat means to descend. So, shaktipat means the descend of energy on a worthy

If I could teach the world one thing based on my life experience, it would be to experience one’s own true being. Only human beings — no other living species — have the capacity or potential to discover the true Self. My own discovery came through an experience known as

In meditation, the mind merges into its source, the Self (atman in Sanskrit). Analogy: Mind is like the ice and water is like the pure Consciousness/Self. Through meditation, one perceives ice as water. There is no need to melt the ice; even when water appears as ice, it is still

The best question: What is the nature of the supreme truth/Self as it really is? In the Yoga Vasishtha, the great sage Vasishtha answers his disciple Rama’s question about the supreme truth by becoming silent for a long time during which time his breath ceased and eyes remained closed. The

You can certainly change your life style for the better. First, please understand what life really is. This very moment, it is life in you that is regulating your breath, circulating your blood, and digesting your food. Life is eternal. It moves from one body to another. You are already

The happiness derived from each of the five senses – hearing, touch, sight, taste, and smell – depends upon external objects and lasts as long as the object of happiness is around. In other words, when the sense object is gone, happiness is also gone. An example will make this

Good question! Before understanding the guru’s role in Kundalini awakening, it is important to understand what a guru really is and how a guru is connected to God. First, we know that there are five functions of God: 1. God manifests, not creates, the universe 2. God maintains the universe

You are the best person to know why meditation does not work for you. Let me ask you this question: Does sleep work for you? It may seem like a silly question, but meditation is an elder brother of sleep. No effort is needed for either sleep or meditation. When

Did you know an animal cannot meditate? The question of an animal meditating regularly does not even arise, my friend. A human being has a capability to experience all four states of consciousness including the meditation state (beyond the mind level) whereas animals can experience only three states of consciousness

Is it only meditation (dhyāna in Sanskrit) for which you don’t have time? “Where there is a will, there is a way,” is so true. Once you develop a keen interest in meditation, you will surely find time for it. Commonly translated as meditation, the word “dhyāna” cannot be translated

The sure — and only — downfall begins the moment one forgets/does not revere/criticizes/betrays one’s own guru. According to Sri Guru Gita, a spiritual masterpiece that reveals profound secrets of the Guru Disciple relationship, “Continue to remember the Guru to the end of time. Never forsake the Guru, even after

Did you know that not even a single thought in you ever goes to waste? Whatever thoughts you think, whatever words you speak, and whatever actions you perform get stored as impressions (called Samskaras) in the central nerve (known as Sushumna) of your subtle body, not the physical body. Consequently,

The best way to manifest anything you want is to store good impressions (Samskaras) and wipe out bad impressions in your subtle body. Whatever thoughts one thinks, whatever words one speaks, and whatever actions one performs, get stored as impressions (called Samskaras) in the central nerve (known as Sushumna) of

If one reverently serves a spiritual master whose kundalini is not only awakened but also fully developed, it is not surprising that one can have one’s own kundalini awakened. We believe in a contagious disease, don’t we? If one can receive bad germs, one can also receive good germs of

I will suggest a couple of books to you. But first, in order to begin a spiritual journey, you must ask yourself what the goal of this journey will be. What are you seeking? And what are you willing to do to reach what you seek? If someone were to