32 Spirituality Studies 3 Phenomenology of SelfTranscendence in the Third Cakra: Experiential and Comparative Analysis The earliest known references to Kuṇḍalinī rising appear in Tantric texts from roughly the 10th to 13th century, describing the coiled spiritual energy and its ascent through the cakras, though not fixed stages of transformation. In the 15th century, the Haṭha Yoga Pradīpikā (4:69–76) systematized and popularized four stages of the Kuṇḍalinī rising process. These stages are initial stimulation and awakening (Sa. arambha), energy rising and gathering strength (Sa. ghata), energy reaching higher cakras and deepening awareness (Sa. paricaya), and finally full ascent and union with pure consciousness (Sa. niṣpatti). In my experience I observed seven stages of transformation, and this article focuses on the third stage, which occurred in several particular steps. While many sources reference clearing the mind of thoughts, none offer as detailed a description of the stages as I observed. I therefore present a technical account of the process, taking into consideration the role of the subtle body, the Kuṇḍalinī, the cakras, and the dimensions of perception. 3.1 Stage 1. Observing and Focusing the Mind 3.1.1 Description Before the experience of Kuṇḍalinī rising, I had heard about meditation as a way to slow down thoughts and about focusing on a single thought, but I had never consciously undertaken these disciplines. For about seventeen years leading up to the experience, I was deeply engaged in painting, unaware that these years of focused attention were training my mind for concentration and one-pointed focus. At the beginning of my experience, I managed to escape the dread of overwhelming emotions and find a non-emotional space (Rebelle 2024, 57). Observing my thoughts became the next natural step. I followed my thoughts until I noticed one that kept returning as the only answer available, and I focused on it. My mind reached into past events, trying to find and fix mistakes I had made. Once the possible mistakes were identified, realizing they were in the past and could no longer be corrected brought my mind back to the same unresolvable thought. 3.1.2 Explanation The process I went through, in all its stages, was guided by a strong inner voice – intuition that defined the exact, doubtless steps of action. I did not know about the overthousand-year-old practices that suggested this path. The Kaṭha Upaniṣad from the late Vedic period (5th–4th century BCE) stresses that the mind must be restrained and made one-pointed (Kaṭha Upaniṣad 6:10–11). Mental discipline is also emphasized in Jainism (c. 6th–5th century BCE), including ekāgratā – “one-pointedness” (Tattvārtha Sūtra 1:13). The Yoga Sūtras of Patañjali (c. 2nd century BCE to 4th century CE) provide the first systematic definition of observing thoughts and achieving one-pointedness (Yoga Sūtras 1:2– 3), supported by the subtle energy of breath control (Sa. prāṇāyāma). Theravāda Buddhism (c. 5th century BCE onward) emphasizes gradual, insight-oriented training through direct observation of mind and phenomena (Ānāpānasati Sutta in Majjhima Nikāya 118). In my understanding, observing thoughts and then narrowing focus to one thought initiates the clearing of the third cakra. Contemporary neuropsychological studies show that sustained attention meditation and narrowed focus increase executive control and suppress task-irrelevant neural activity (Lutz et al. 2008, 163–169). 3.2 Stage 2. Surrender 3.2.1 Description According to my understanding, I had to accept the one thought that kept returning as the ultimate resolution. It was undeniable and final, with no further options available. I had to surrender to it. This is what surrender of the mind
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MTUwMDU5Ng==