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Yesterday, I concluded with the topic of Kuṇḍalinī. I explained its definition to you. For us, it is an energy. This energy dwells within our entire consciousness—be it subconscious, unconscious, or conscious. We must also understand that our destiny, our karma, resides within our consciousness as well. Imagine a single balloon; everything exists within it. The individual phenomenon is like this balloon. Everything is within us: karma, destiny, willpower, energy, light, the soul (ātmā), the senses (indriyas)—everything is there. Now, the second definition of Kuṇḍalinī: it is energy and consciousness, or consciousness and nature. This is referred to as Śiva and Śakti. Regarding Śiva: Śiva means consciousness, not a physical form. It is the entire consciousness that dwells in the universe—in its nirguṇa (formless) state, within nature, or within creatures. That consciousness is Śiva. Furthermore, Śiva means liberation. It is the consciousness that is free, unbound by anything, and can liberate others. Śiva means liberation. Śiva means the truth, the ultimate truth. The ultimate truth is that. Only that is God, and God is that pure consciousness. Gurujī often said in his satsaṅg: "I am the pure consciousness" is wisdom; "I am the body" is ignorance. The pure consciousness is above our bodily consciousness. Having knowledge of that pure consciousness is pure wisdom. We are searching for that consciousness, or we are seeking that knowledge about that consciousness. Presently, our consciousness is not pure. It is mixed with many qualities and has boundaries—subconscious, unconscious, conscious. That pure consciousness is the ultimate truth. And Śiva means beauty. It does not matter how Śiva is depicted; if you see pictures, you always see him as beautiful. It does not matter how Gaṇeśa’s picture is drawn; Gaṇeśa is always very beautiful. From divinity, from spirituality, from God, beauty is always radiating. As your inner consciousness, your inner self, your antaḥkaraṇa, begins to become clean, beauty appears. Satyam is the truth. Śiva is the truth. Śivam is the liberator, the Śiva. The self, the ātmā, is sundaram—beauty. Thus, Śiva means the liberator and destroyer of all negative energy. Śiva means beauty. Śiva means truth. Śiva means that pure consciousness. Therefore, Śiva is the first person in the universe. No one created him. He created all. The first man is Śiva; that is called Svayaṃbhu, meaning he manifested himself without father, without mother, without material support. That is Svayaṃbhu Śiva. That consciousness, that Śiva, resides in all of us. There is no duality; the female or male body is equal. We should not make that discrimination or duality in the astral form. In spirituality, in the supreme reality, there is no masculine and no feminine. That exists only here; the anatomical difference is what we create. These spiritual principles, spiritual energy, are equally present in the male and female body. Sometimes, people say something different just to make the subject interesting, to add more spices to the food, so to speak. They might say that females have locations of the chakras on different parts of the body, or something similar. The Śiva principle is within us, in everyone. Its primary residence, the seat of Svayambhū Śiva, is in the Himalayas, Mount Kailāśa. That is the holy chair, the holy throne of Lord Śiva. In our body, that Mount Kailash is at the top of the head. That is called the Brahmaraṅdhra, the door to Brahman. There, the pure Svayaṁbhū Śiva, that pure consciousness, resides. Satyam Śivam Sundaram can only be experienced there. But our bodily consciousness is far away from there, and therefore we cannot experience it. We are distanced through our karma and destiny. Now, the ability, the energy that can bring unity across that great distance is Śakti. Śakti is also that energy which dwells in the entire universe, and it resides in our body as well—Paraśakti, Mahāśakti, Śakti, whatever you call it. This Śakti is more involved in our destiny and our karmas. This Śakti longs to be free, and it can only be freed when Śakti merges into the pure consciousness. When Śakti merges into Śiva, that is liberation. When Śiva and Śakti unite, that union is above the three things: past, present, and future. That is called Turīya. At that time, the three become one: knowledge, number, and object. That time is realized as self-realization—the realization that "I am the pure consciousness" or "I am the Ātmā." So, there are two: Jīva and Śiva. Jīvātmā and Paramātmā. This Jīva is the soul, the individual soul. This Jīvātmā is the individual self. This individual self longs to become one with the Paramātmā, with the Supreme. When this Jīva becomes one with Śiva, it is liberation from the cycle of rebirth and death. If this is not realized, then we must go through the 8.4 million cycles of different creatures. Only human life is such an instrument, such an opportunity, that we can attain this realization. If we miss this instrument, if we lose this, it will be a great pity. There is no other chance. Therefore, humans should not waste time with nonsense things. Whatever a human thinks and does creates karma—physical pollution or mental pollution. Physical pollution is easy to purify; mental pollution is very hard to purify. Now, we know what Kuṇḍalinī is and its aim. We know what Śiva means. It is said that God, Gaṇeśa, is the son of Śiva. Gaṇeśa means the remover of obstacles. Gaṇeśa means luck, happiness. Gaṇeśa means divine bliss. Gaṇeśa means the Lord of all. So when Śiva and Śakti, Jīvātmā and Paramātmā, are realized—when there is no difference, no duality—then the third, Gaṇeśa, is present. All obstacles are gone, all difficulties are gone, all karma is resolved. Happiness, ānanda, is there. God bless you. At that time, the ātmā within thyself awakens. Nāda awakens—the sound, a vibration, feelings, emotions. That is how happy I am now. I am blissful. I am supremely blissful. I am the supreme bliss. I am the Supreme Bliss. If someone is in prison, how does one feel? When one gets news that one must go to prison, how does one feel? When one is brought into the prison, how does one feel? During the period one is in prison, how does one feel? And when one is liberated, freed from prison, how does one feel? Similarly, when this jīva, this individual, comes to know it will again be manifested in some form, some body, it is like preparing to come to prison. The whole life is in prison, and then it is gone. Human life is the opportunity where you can have a lawyer to solve all problems, to become free from this prison. That lawyer is spiritual knowledge. That lawyer is your master. That is your spiritual progress, your effort. Therefore, nothing is more precious in this life than the human body. Try to protect the human body. But this does not mean you will destroy others. Other creatures also need protection. Humans know what life means, and humans know what pain and death mean. Animals know also, but they cannot express it, and they have no power to express it. They can only scream. Innocent, poor animals should not be killed. They should be loved. The Kuṇḍalinī and the aim of awakening it are described differently by many. When the Kuṇḍalinī begins to awaken, when it proceeds and descends, this consciousness descends. It ascends and descends through the Suṣumnā Nāḍī, Iḍā, and Piṅgalā. Some people describe pleasant and unpleasant feelings; we will not do this. I will describe to you only good feelings. There will be no bad feelings. Yes, there is something. Everyone has a different destiny. What is in your unconsciousness will come out. But those who try to awaken the chakras or Kuṇḍalinī without the guidance of a spiritual master cannot control certain things. Therefore, the spiritual lineage is very important. There is a spiritual heritage that we possess. It is that energy which guides and protects us. That is very important. These techniques are not for everyone to teach. Kuṇḍalinī is not so easy to awaken because it is not a physical process, nor a mechanical one. It is spiritual. It is very subtle and connected with our emotions, our consciousness, and our feelings. Therefore, the process is indescribable. You eat something, but you cannot describe its taste. You eat butter every day, but you cannot describe the taste of butter. It is indescribable. Similarly, when this process begins, it is indescribable. At every junction where the chakras are, there are different feelings. And there is what they call "dangers." Now, what does "dangers" mean? Not dangers as we think—accidents, fires breaking out, or earthquakes taking place. No. Dangers mean that your own thinking, your own feelings, your change of mind will take you away from this process. If this Kuṇḍalinī awakens without the guidance of a real, proper master, and complications begin, then it is difficult to control. It is like driving down a mountain on an icy road when your car's brakes fail. Those who try without a master's guidance and without real preparation experience this brake failure. Therefore, many years of preparation are required. What kind of preparation? Practice āsanas, prāṇāyāmas, mantras, meditation, and maintain a sāttvic vegetarian diet. Develop in your heart love, humbleness, kindness, forgiveness—Bhakti. This must be done for several years, not just a few months, because after a few months you may change. This process of awakening Kuṇḍalinī cannot be forced. Something may awaken, but it will go back again. What some people call Śakti pāṭ—pāṭ means falling down—it goes up and then down again. What is the use of that? We do not do Śaktipāt. I asked Gurujī about Śaktipāt. Gurujī said, "No, no, we do Śakti Uttān." This means it is always going upward, like the sun rising. Similarly, the sun of your consciousness, your Kuṇḍalinī, should constantly develop and rise. But those particular changes in the chakras are very intensive. Certain feelings are very sweet, and negative society pulls you the other way. "I am meditating and nothing is happening. What should I do? I will see. God will do everything. I believe in God, and that's enough. Why should I do more? I do what I think now." Yes, that is the Svādhiṣṭhāna Chakra. That is what you do, what you think. Now, it is very clear. The genes, the nāba, then comes argument, the inner argument. It means you have again strayed from your path. No more development, no spiritual development. You think you are developing, but you are not. Therefore, our way, especially Yoga in Daily Life, is very sure and safe. It is gradual, sure, and safe. In case you do not realize or awaken in this life, do not worry. It will come again. You will have a beautiful spiritual human life, and you will continue again under the umbrella of our spiritual lineage. Our spiritual dynasty is very great. It will always guide you, and you will become a guide. Therefore, it is sure that you are already there. But take care of your vṛttis. "I don't like this. I don't like this. I don't know what to do. I will do something different. I think I should try strong pranayama to give away my kundalini. I should jump a little up and down." You can sit on a horse; it will not awaken your Kuṇḍalinī. It is not physical; it is a matter of feeling. When a baby drinking milk comes to the mother, milk automatically appears in the mother's breast. That is an indescribable process. It cannot happen for someone else, only for your own child, for the baby. So it is also between master and disciple. It is suddenly, spontaneously, automatically there—without questions, without doubt. It is indescribable; one day there is harmony, beauty. That is what we want to realize, that upliftment of our consciousness. And that is how the Kuṇḍalinī works and proceeds through the chakras.