Livingness Meditation
Says Shiva in Vignana Bhairava Tantra:
Consider your essence rising from center to center, up your spine, and so rises 'livingness' in you.
The spine is the base of both your body and mind. Your body and mind are both rooted in the spine. Your age rests in your spine. If your spine is supple, you are young; if your spine is rigid, you are old!
The seven major chakras, or energy centers, are located along the length of the body. At the base of the spine is the muladhara chakra, the sex center. On the crown of the head is the sahasrara chakra, the center that opens us to god.
The spinal column is the passage for energy. In this meditation, you will move your energy upward from the muladhara, right up to the sahasrara. This movement doesn't happen easily because it is against gravity! It is very easy for your energy to move downward.
In fact, 80% of our energy is locked in the muladhara. It is like a weight pulling you down to the earth. Haven't you noticed how heavy your lower back always feels? When this energy is drawn upward and released through the sahasrara, you will feel a tremendous weightlessness, a freedom. You will get a taste of bliss.
Instructions
Sit in a comfortable position with your eyes closed and your spine erect. Now imagine yourself as if you are a Being of Light. This is not just imagination. You are light, all is light. You are just not used to thinking of yourself as energy. You have got so used to seeing yourself as just matter.
Visualize that you are a column of light. Now move your attention to your root center, muladhara. Feel that this center has become bright and alive, like a ball of light. Now visualize this light moving upward, through your swadhishtana chakra up to your navel center, manipuraka chakra.
You will feel warmth rising inside. This is real warmth! When the navel also becomes a bright ball of light, a source of light, allow the light to start moving upward.
Feel the light moving upward to your heart center. Feel the light and warmth in your heart. Feel your breathing become deeper; feel your heartbeat become more relaxed.
Picture the energy move up to the space between your brows, the ajna chakra. Feel the whole region engulfed in light.
Gradually, move up to the crown chakra, sahasrara, the energy zone at the very top of your head.
You may have many strange experiences when the energy reaches your crown. You may feel dizzy or nauseous. Your head is not used to handling this much energy. Sometimes, if there is too much energy moving into the head, it may be felt as an explosion in the head. Don't be afraid. If you are feeling dizzy, if you are falling, allow yourself to fall. Even if you feel you are going to faint, don't worry.
This is the state of deepest sleep, known as yoga nidra. Many meditators experience this state, and it is nothing to be scared of. You will come back to normal in half an hour's time.
When the energy reaches your head, your whole head becomes warm. Your head becomes a ball of light.
Now, release the energy into the cosmos. Feel as if your head has become a flower, a beautiful lotus flower. Let the flower open gently and release its energy into the cosmos.
A word of caution: never leave this meditation incomplete.
Before you start, ensure that you are going to be undisturbed for at least 2 hours. During the meditation, ignore every other disturbance. If you get up and leave the meditation halfway through, the energy will get clogged in that particular center and cause physical or mental problems.
This meditation is a beautiful way to transform your sex energy into spiritual energy. When you practice this regularly, you will notice that your sexual desires are gradually stilled. You will feel more and more prayerful throughout the day. With so much energy going to your head, you will feel more alive, you will work more efficiently. And most importantly, you will be in a perpetual state of joy.
To summarize
- Practice the meditation for Livingness
- Intend that you will be in Livingness always.
- Visualize this state of intent as real. Visualize that you are in this state of energized Livingness. Visualize that you are wealthy, healthy and happy with joyful relationships.
- Let go.
- Offer your gratitude to the universe for what you are NOW and for what you are continuing to receive.
May you be in Livingness and be in nithyananda, eternal bliss!