The Kundalini experience

Kundalini experience

A few days ago I picked up a Chinese book by prominent Buddhist master Nan HuaiJin (南懷瑾) called A practice dialogue with a modern Buddhist (現代學佛者修證對話), documenting a dialogue between Master Nan and and some of his students.  In this book, Master Nan and his students discussed a book by psychiatrist Lee Sanneli, "The Kundalini Experience: Psychosis or Transcendence" published in 1987.  In this post, I am going to discuss some "Kundalini" or special experience mentioned to which Master Nan said "not yet there".  Master Nan was probably one of (if not the) most learned Chinese scholar and practitioner on Buddhism.  His books are widely read in the Chinese intellectual community. His Buddhist affiliation include guru-accreditation in some leading sects in Tibetan Buddhism.

Some of the cases that Nan discussed were rather disturbing. The gist of the matter is these disturbing cases consisted of ordinary men and women (many of them being intellectuals educated in the west) practiced meditation, with chi being generated and were troubled and disturbed by the chi! Some of them apparently were seeking highly level enlightenment, and some of them might actually be seeking kundalini awakening proper, and it seemed that the teachers/gurus who taught them had no clue what was happening!

Another thing I found with interest was that Nan invariably said they hadn't been there, invariably saying that they did it incorrectly. Because, according to Nan the correct way shouldn't have such such bad experience. I agree with Nan on the conclusion. But WHAT is the correct way, our guru Nan remained silent. Perhaps as master Nan said elsewhere (I read some of Nan's books, and I don't remember exactly where, my apology to Nan), a practitioner needs to be morally superior, and have previous life (or lives) of good practice, and if it is his right moment, he will reach his Kundalini in this incarnation, otherwise, do more good this life, and hopefully in another incarnation or yet another incarnation.

Having said that Nan did give credit to some as approaching the correct way (to some, however, Nan simply said being closer to psychotic and/or having some physical illness - i.e. Nan making clinical diagnosis), and some had already achieved certain level of proficiency towards the ultimate Kundalini experience, listen carefully, during one or more of their previous incarnations!

I hope I have been as truthful as I wish to in interpreting master Nan, a most learned scholar that I respect a lot.

The above is my interpretation of master Nan's thinking. What is the Taoist thinking? or what is my interpretation and/or experience of Taoist practice?

Firstly, Taoists believe that Enlightenment has to be gained in one's life time. After one is dead, sorry, start again during one's next life if one is lucky enough to be born a human again.

Secondly, Taoists insist on starting one's inner fire on the beginning of one's practice by focusing on the issue , rather than like Nan's advice, again my interpretation of Nan, of hoping grace will come its way, always non-action (無為) is the concept.

Thirdly, Taoists insist that when one's inner fire is started, one must direct (or redirect) it "backward" along the spinal cord, via the head and back to the Dantian, again rather than like Nan's non-action advice.

Fourthly, Taoists believe that after enough chi is thus generated and re-directed as per above (i.e. one is now filled with chi and is managing it well), one can empty one's action and go into "non-action" mode from then on. Here being the same as Nan's.

I believe the Taoists' way makes better sense.