In the progressive chain of evolution, the living species have moved from the earth prone to those standing on the earth endowed with reason and discerning faculties. Biological sciences have categorized all these changes, broadly dealing with them as the vertebrate and the invertebrate. In the common parlance those with spine and those without spine; equally so from the four legged to the two legged, the biped, homo sapiens.
This progressive evolutionary change is also contained in our sacred chant (manthrapushpam) invoking peace for all the evolved beings. To cite the same, (“SamnoAsthu Dwipade. Sam Chathushpathe. Om, Santhi, Santhi”) meaning let there be peace for all the living species from the four legged to the two legged and so on. This is the invocation of peace, in its conclusive lines for the entire living order spelt by our ancients.
To elaborate, every child out grows these stages from crawling as he becomes toddler and walks erect on the earth. Thus, the human in a mild manner, stands up on the earth’s gravity, walking and moving on his feet. This is the ascendance in the living order and the evolutionary growth in terms of the physical form.
Viewed in another mode, this is some way analogous to the concept of ‘ASCENDING UNITY’, presented by Sri Aurobindo in his precepts. There is in all this living order, as the intangible force, among all these,, regardless of the physical form is the ‘Chaithanya’ that sways the entire existence in its totality. That being the unified force of this cosmos and the entire creation in its infinity. To clarify life force is the unity that finds expression in the ascending order of the living species progressively into the fully endowed rational individual.
Even so, despite the fully evolved physical form, the mindset, the individual psyche is very much earth prone. Although endowed with the thinking faculty, he very much belongs to the earth and is conditioned severely by the earthly fixations. These find elaborate expression in his worldly desires, sensuous longings much difficult to be set apart from his living modes.
Whilst the physical form is fully evolved to the point that can stand up on the earth and walk erect, the mental conditioning is yet primal and primitive. Getting bogged down in the sensuous indulgences and mundane obsessions that are not truly significant for the internal progress or evolution to the finer stage
of perception and true awareness of the self. Such self is very much conditioned and totally identified with his transient, passing human body and the bubble of time bound existence. This in our ‘Sanatana Dharma’ is deemed the ‘Anaathma’ meaning the ‘Deha Bhavana’, status of total identification with the mere physical body.
The individual self within shall progressively metamorphose into the universal self. The seamless self that is within all the species yet unawares for the being. When he grows from within, his limited self gets an awareness of the universal, unlimited seamless self that prevails all over.
For this internal change, or awareness the beginning is said to be with the sacral plexus, traditionally termed the ‘Mooladhara’. This is the seat and center of all the sensuous desires, urges and earthly bonding with cravings. Just a little above this is perched the dominant self of the individual, which the tradition termed as ‘Swadhisthana’. This egoistic self dominates the person who gets bogged down in the temporal world, with all its fixations and persistent longings, which crop up unceasingly one after the other in a relentless mode not giving him any respite.
This little self, primal and animalistic, shall tread into the upward path that begins with the center, the ganglion, termed as ‘Manipooraka’ in our spiritual parlance. The moment the egoistic self ‘Swadhisthana’ recedes, rather surpasses. overcomes the sacral plexus, ‘Mooladhara’ moves over the egoistic self ‘Swadhisthana’ entering the ‘Manipooraka’ the upward journey begins into the higher levels of the physical mindor the self.Culminating finally in the consciousness, at the ‘Sahasrara’.
The seat of true awareness for the living being. The individual receding from the purely earthly, body condition, moving to the higher awareness of the universal self, the seamless self, of which the little physical self is but a part and parcel. This true awareness when it dawns within, touches the level of consciousness that is universal.
Now to sum up, the growth of the physical form of the homosapiens is an expression of the evolution towards bodily endowment and capability that can tread on the earth’s gravity two footed. Even so very much confined to the earthly conditioning of the instinct and the impulse tossed always to and fro.
The progressive path of the ‘Kundalini’ is the internal evolution from within the physical self, the body towards the higher true awareness that borders the seamless self and the boundless consciousness. The physical body, the self within at this state is no longer confined. Neither by the instinct, nor by the impulse equally freed from all mundane trappings, as also the earthly cravings.
Consciousness is the timeless, infinity that sways, regulates and sets the given order. Attaining such a stance or given such a state of awareness; the evolution of the individual is complete and integrated in its true sense, both in the seen, external body and within the physical form too, morphing into the unconditioned, true self, freed from all bonds that are without.
This completes the evolution of the human both from within and without, the core, crux and the harmony set in the path of ‘Kundalini’ often aspired for. In its essence it is the transition, the voyage from the finite self to the infinite, boundless self. Yet verily attained when grace bestows the same on the person.
This the crux, essence of ‘Kundalini’ is the true awareness that truly integrates the external and internal evolution of the living order in completion, reconciling both in complete harmony. The inner psyche unfolds, blossoming into consciousness. Such synthesis is ever desirable for an enlightened society that is value based and altruistic.
These progressive efforts seeking the timeless truth shall augur well for the common good. Believe, this indeed is the onus of our scriptures in all the related tenets and prescriptions. This is the enlightened social order and value based society longed for and inspired by our time honored elders.
For, ideally well being consists in the fully grown healthy external form seeped in the mature internal self, poised at the level of consciousness, the ultimate reality. This process is deemed the body and soul discrimination, that is the ‘AthmaAnathma Vicharana’ by our knowledgeable ancients.
It is pertinent to present that AMMA summed up this requirement in HER verily simplistic mode, to be good and do well towards each other. Well, the countless others that we come across in life succinctly conveyed in the aphorism “GOODNESS EXCELS EVERY OTHER MYSTIQUE”. To paraphrase the same in the inimitable vernacular diction of AMMA, “Manchini Minchina Mahimalu Levu”.
Obviously, such macro, mega, collective good is also inclusive of the attempts at awakening ‘Kundalini’ within the individual self by the seekers and the spiritual aspirants. Besides, persistent, consistent, sustained good shall also awaken the true self within, regardless of any external crutches or practices imposed. Further, meticulous compliance of one’s own duty, that is SWADHARMA too elevates the individual. When it borders motiveless good, that is ‘NISHKAMA KARMA’, liberates the individual from all bonds, causing redemption.