KUNDALINI YOGA

By

SRI SWAMI SIVANANDA

A DIVINE LIFE SOCIETY PUBLICATION Fourth Edition: 1998 (1,000 Copies) World Wide Web (WWW) Edition : 1999. http://www.sivanandadlshq.org/home.html This WWW reprint is for free distribution © The Divine Life Trust Society Published By THE DIVINE LIFE SOCIETY P.O. Shivanandanagar—249 192 Distt. Tehri-Garhwal, Uttar Pradesh, Himalayas, India.

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OM

IN MEMORY

OF

PATANJALI MAHARSHI,
YOGI BHUSUNDA, SADASIVA BRAHMAN,
MATSYENDRANATH, GORAKHNATH, JESUS CHRIST,
LORD KRISHNA AND ALL OTHER YOGINS
WHO HAVE EXPOUNDED THE
SCIENCE OF YOGA

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CONTENTS

• PUBLISHERS’ NOTE
• GURU STOTRA
• DEVI STOTRA
• SIVA STOTRA
• THE FOUR STAGES OF SOUND
• PREFACE
• PRAYER TO MOTHER KUNDALINI
• EXPERIENCES ON AWAKENING OF KUNDALINI
• THE GRADATIONAL ASCENT OF THE MIND
• PRANAYAMA FOR AWAKENING KUNDALINI
• KUNDALINI PRANAYAMA
• KUNDALINI
• INTRODUCTION
• PRELIMINARY
• Foundation—Vairagya
• What Is Yoga?
• The Importance Of Kundalini Yoga
• Important Qualifications Of A Sadhaka
• Yogic Diet
• Sattvic Articles
• Forbidden Articles
• Mitahara
• The Place For Yoga Sadhana
• The Time
• The Age
• Necessity For A Yogic Guru
• Who Is A Guru?
• Spiritual Power
• KUNDALINI YOGA—THEORY

• Yoga Nadis
• Spinal Column
• Sukshma Sarira
• Kanda
• Spinal Cord
• Sushumna Nadi
• Para-Sympathetic And Sympathetic System
• Ida And Pingala Nadis
• Svara Sadhana
• How To Change The Flow In Nadis
• Other Nadis
• Padmas Or Chakras
• Petals On Chakras
• Muladhara Chakra
• Svadhishthana Chakra
• Manipura Chakra
• Anahata Chakra
• Vishuddha Chakra
• Ajna Chakra
• The Brain
• Brahmarandhra
• Sahasrara Chakra
• Lalana Chakra
• Summary Of The Previous Lessons
• The Mysterious Kundalini
• YOGA SADHANA
• How To Awaken The Kundalini
• 1. Dhauti
• 2. Basti
• 3. Neti
• 4. Nauli
• 5. Trataka
• 6. Kapalabhati
• PRANAYAMA
• What Is Prana?
• Pranayama
• Nadi Suddhi
• 1. Sukha Purvaka
• 2. Bhastrika
• 3. Suryabheda
• 4. Ujjayi
• 5. Plavini
• 6. Pranic Healing
• 7. Distant Healing
• Importance Of Pranayama
• Benefits Of Pranayama
• Instructions On Pranayama
• ASANAS
• Importance Of Asanas
• 1. Padmasana (Lotus Pose)
• 2. Siddhasana (The Perfect Pose)
• 3. Svastikasana (Prosperous Pose)
• 4. Sukhasana
• 5. Sirshasana (Topsy Turvy Pose)
• 6. Sarvangasana (All-Members Pose)
• 7. Matsyasana (Fish Posture)
• 8. Paschimottanasana
• 9. Mayurasana (Peacock Pose)
• 10. Ardha Matsyendrasana
• 11. Vajrasana (The Adamantine Pose)
• 12. Urdhva Padmasana (Above Lotus Pose)
• Instructions On Asanas
• MUDRAS AND BANDHAS
• Exercises
• 1. Mula Bandha
• 2. Jalandhara Bandha
• 3. Uddiyana Bandha
• 4. Maha Mudra
• 5. Maha Bandha
• 6. Maha Vedha
• 7. Yoga Mudra
• 8. Viparitakarani Mudra
• 9. Khechari Mudra
• 10. Vajroli Mudra
• 11. Shakti Chalana Mudra
• 12. Yoni Mudra
• Other Mudras
• Instructions On Mudras And Bandhas
• MISCELLANEOUS EXERCISES
• Laya Yoga
• Anahata Sounds
• Bhakti Yoga—Classes Of Worship
• Mantras
• Eight Major Siddhis
• Minor Siddhis
• Power Of A Yogi
• Instructions On Siddhis
• Dharana (Concentration)
• YOGA ADDENDA
• 1. Sadasiva Brahman
• 2. Jnanadev
• 3. Trilinga Swami
• 4. Gorakhnath
• 5. Swami Krishna Ashram
• 6. Yogi Bhusunda
• 7. Tirumula Nayanar
• 8. Mansoor
• 9. Milarepa
• 10. Napoleon Bonaparte
• 11. Teachings Of Kabir
• 12. A Sham Latin Scholar
• 13. Story Of An Aspirant
• 14. Other Yogins
• Mystic Experience—Visions Of Lights
• Elementals
• Life In The Astral Plane
• Hints On Yoga
• Some Practical Hints
• The Spiritual Diary
• YOGA-KUNDALINI UPANISHAD
• Introduction
• Chitta And The Control Of Prana
• Mitahara, Asana And Shakti-Chalana
• The Padma And Vajra Asanas
• The Rousing Of The Kundalini
• The Sarasvati Chalana
• Varieties Of Pranayama
• Suryabheda Kumbhaka
• Ujjayi Kumbhaka
• Sitali Kumbhaka
• The Three Bandhas
• How Many Times Kumbhaka Should Be Practised
• The Obstacles To The Practice Of Yoga And How To Overcome Them
• The Rousing Of The Kundalini
• The Kundalini Reaches The Sahasrara By Piercing Through The Three Knots
• The Dissolution Of Prana And Others
• Experiencing Everything As Consciousness During Samadhi
• The Samadhi Yoga
• The Khechari Vidya
• The Khechari Mantra
• The Cutting Of Frenum Lingui
• The Tongue Reaches The Brahmarandhra
• The Urdhvakundalini Yoga
• Melana Mantra
• Sense-Objects, Manas And Bandhana
• The Entry Into The Sukha-Mandala
• The Six Chakras
• Abhyasa And Brahma Jnana
• The Four Kinds Of Vak
• The Absorption In Paramatman
• The Essential Nature Of Man
• Videha Mukti
• Non-Dual Brahman
• Kundalini Yoga
• Kundalini Pranayama
• Lambika Yoga
• Yoga—I
• Yoga—II
• Ideal Yoga
• Ten Commandments For Yoga-Students
• Yoga And Its Consummation
• The Gradational Ascent Of The Mind
• Experiences On Awakening Of Kundalini
• The Quintessence Of Yoga
• Practise Yoga To Prolong Life
• Perfection In Yoga
• Double Consciousness
• Wise Guidance For Sure Success
• Practice Of Yoga Asanas