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Yesterday we concluded with the topic of Kuṇḍalinī. I explained its definition to you. For us, this is essentially an energy. This energy dwells within our entire consciousness—be it subconscious, unconscious, or conscious. Furthermore, we must understand that our destiny, our karma, also resides within our consciousness. Imagine a single balloon; everything exists within this balloon. The individual phenomenon is like a balloon. Everything is within ourselves: karma, destiny, willpower, energy, light, the soul (ātmā), the senses (indriyas)—everything is there. Within us are karma, destiny, desires (chula), thoughts, the soul, life. Everything is in us. Now, the second definition of Kuṇḍalinī is that it is both energy and consciousness. Or, consciousness and nature. That is said to be Śiva and Śakti. Regarding Śiva: Śiva means consciousness. It signifies consciousness, not in a physical form, but the entire Consciousness that dwells in the whole universe—in nirguṇa (formless) form, within nature, or within creatures. That consciousness is Śiva. Also, Śiva means liberation: the consciousness which is free, not bound to anything, and which can liberate others as well. Śiva means truth, the ultimate truth. The ultimate truth is that only God exists, and God is that pure consciousness. Gurujī often used to say in his satsaṅg, "I am the pure consciousness"—that is wisdom. "I am the body"—that is ignorance. Thus, pure consciousness is above our bodily consciousness. Acquiring, realizing pure consciousness is attaining wisdom, pure wisdom. What we seek is that consciousness, or we seek knowledge of that consciousness. Our ordinary consciousness is not pure. It is mixed with many, many qualities and has certain borders: subconscious, unconscious, and conscious borders. That pure consciousness is the ultimate truth. And Śiva means beauty. It does not matter how Śiva is depicted; if you see any pictures, you always see him as beautiful. It does not matter how Gaṇeśa's picture is drawn; Gaṇeśa is always very beautiful. As Gaṇeśa is represented, he is always beautiful. From spirituality, from God, there is always light and beauty. The more your inner instrument (antaḥkaraṇa) is purified, the more beauty is manifested. Satyam means Śiva is Truth. Śivam is the Liberator, the Śiva, the Self, the Ātmā. Sundaram is the Beauty. 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 has created Him. He has created all. The first being is Śiva. That is called Swayambhū—He who manifested Himself, without father, without mother, without material support. That is Swayambhū, Śiva. That consciousness, that Śiva, resides in all of us, and there is no duality; in the female or male body, it is equally present. 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. In the astral form, in spirituality, in reality, there is no male and female. That exists only here. The anatomical difference is what we create. Thus, these spiritual principles, spiritual energy, are equally present in the male and female body. Sometimes, some people say something different just to make a subject interesting. Sometimes, some people say something else just to make the topic more engaging, to add more spices to the food. So they claim that females have locations of the chakras on different parts of the body, or something like this. Others say women have chakras in some other parts of the body. But the Śiva principle is within us, in everyone. That principle mostly resides—the residence of Śiva, the Swayambhū—is in the Himalayas, Mount Kailāśa. That is a holy seat, the holy throne of Lord Śiva. In our body, that Mount Kailash is here at the top of the head. That is called Brahmarandhra, the door to Brahman. There resides the pure Swayambhū, Śiva; that pure consciousness resides there. 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, far away, through our karma and destiny. Now, the ability, the energy which can bring about unity, has a great distance to cover. So, energy is masculine, feminine: Śakti. Śakti is also that energy which dwells in the entire universe, and that Śakti also resides in our body—Parāśakti, Mahāśakti, Śakti, whatever you call it. It is more involved in our destiny, in our karmas. This Śakti longs to be free, and it can only be freed when Śakti merges into pure consciousness—when Śakti merges into Śiva. That is then liberation, when Śiva and Śakti are united. When that union takes place, it is above the three things: past, present, and future. That is called when three become one: knowledge, knower, and object. That time is realized as Self-realization—that "I am that pure consciousness or Ātmā." Thus, there are these 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 Paramātmā, with the Supreme. When this Jīva becomes one with Śiva, then it is liberation from the cycle of rebirth and death. If this is not realized, then we have to go through this cycle of 8.4 million 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—a great pity. There is no other chance. Therefore, a human should not waste time with nonsense things. Whatever a human thinks and does creates karma, pollution. Physical pollution or mental pollution? Physical pollution is easy to purify, but mental pollution is very hard to purify. So now we know what Kuṇḍalinī is and its aim. We know what Śiva means now. 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. Happiness, bliss—that is bliss. Oṁ Sacchidānanda... Oṁ Sacchidānanda... Oṁ Sacchidānanda... Oṁ Sacch... The Ātmā within thyself, nāda awakens the sound. A vibration, feelings. That is how happy I am now. I am blissful. I am blissful. I am supremely blissful. Supreme bliss. I am the Supreme Bliss. If someone is in prison, how does one feel? When one gets the news that one has to go to prison, how does one feel? And when one is brought into the prison, how does one feel? And during the period when one is in prison, how does one feel? And when one is liberated, freed from prison, how does one feel? Similarly, when this individual Jīva comes to know it is going to be manifested again in some form, some body, it is like preparing to come to prison. And the whole life is in prison, and then again, it is gone. Human life is the opportunity where you can have a lawyer to solve all the problems, to become free of 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. So, Kuṇḍalinī and the aim of awakening Kuṇḍalinī are described differently by many. When Kuṇḍalinī begins to awaken, when it is proceeding, descending, and when it starts to rise—that process of waking up goes through the suṣumnā nāḍī, through iḍā and piṅgalā and suṣumnā. Some people describe it as pleasant or 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 which we possess. It is that energy which guides and protects us. That is very important. So, these techniques are not techniques for everyone to teach. And Kuṇḍalinī is not so easy to awaken because it is not a physical process, nor a mechanical one. It is spiritual. It is a very subtle process connected with our emotions, our consciousness, our feelings, and therefore the process is indescribable. You eat something, but you cannot describe the taste of it. You eat butter every day, but you cannot describe the taste of butter. It is indescribable. Similarly, when this process begins, it is indescribable. And at every junction where the chakras are, there are different feelings. And there is what they call the dangers. Now, what does "dangers" mean? Not dangers as we think, like an accident, a fire breaking out, or an earthquake occurring—no. "Dangerous" means that your own thinking, your own feelings, your change of mind will take you away from this process. And if this Kuṇḍalinī awakens without the guidance of a real master, a proper master, and complications begin, then it is difficult to control. It is like driving down a mountain, down a hill, on an icy road when your car's brakes fail. So, those who try without a master's guidance and without real preparation experience brake failure. Therefore, many, many years of preparation are required. What kind of preparation? Practice āsanas, prāṇāyāmas, mantras, meditation, a sāttvic vegetarian diet. Develop in your heart love, humbleness, kindness, forgiveness, bhakti. And you have to do this for several years, not just a few months, because after a few months you may change. This process of awakening Kuṇḍalinī cannot be forced. It may awaken something, but it will go back again. What some people call śakti pāṭha—pāṭha means falling down. So it goes up and then down again. What is the use of it? Therefore, we do not perform Śaktipāt. I asked Gurujī about Śaktipāt. Gurujī said, "No, no, we do Śakti Uttān awakening." This means it is always going upward. Just as the sun rises, similarly the sun of your consciousness, your Kuṇḍalinī, should constantly develop and rise. But those particular chakras are very intensive. Certain feelings are very sweet, and society, a negative society, pulls you the other way. They say, "I am meditating and nothing is happening. What should I do? God will do everything. I believe in God, and that is enough." And then he says, "I meditate so much, there is nothing left. God will do everything; it is enough for me to believe in Him. Why should I do more? I do what I think now." Yes, that is the Svādhiṣṭhāna Cakra. That is what you do, what you think. Now, very clear: laziness. Then comes argument, 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 safe and secure—gradually safe and secure. 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, and it will always guide you, and you will become a guide. Therefore, it is certain that you are already there. But take care of your mental fluctuations (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 prāṇāyāma to awaken my Kuṇḍalinī. I should jump a little up and down. You can sit on a horse, you know." It will not awaken your Kuṇḍalinī. It is not physical. It is a matter of feeling. When a baby, who is drinking milk, comes to the mother, automatically milk appears in the breast of the mother. That is a process, an indescribable process. It cannot happen for someone else, but only for her 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 Kuṇḍalinī works and proceeds through the cakras.