36 Spirituality Studies (Bṛhadāraṇyaka Upaniṣad; Chāndogya Upaniṣad). Later texts such as the Bhagavad Gītā further develop these methods, while Advaita Vedānta in the 8th century CE systematizes them philosophically (Śaṅkara 1921). Contemporary sources also address ego dissolution: Paramahansa Yogananda describes the ego dissolving, the mind becoming still, and the light of pure awareness arising, in which omniscience is possible (Yogananda 1986, 302). Adyashanti emphasizes that the end of ego is not a loss but liberation, stating, “The identity you thought was you falls away, and what’s left is what you’ve always truly been” (Adyashanti 2008, 71). According to my understanding, passionate intentions to “kill the ego” are noble but misleading. The ego will dissolve on its own when there are no thoughts creating it. Attempts to forcibly kill the ego will only make it stronger. Weightlessness, levitation, and light. Similar experiences of weightlessness, levitation, and light are noted throughout history. The Chāndogya Upaniṣad (c. 700–600 BCE) describes the soul, released from burden, rising in brightness (Chāndogya Upaniṣad 6:14:2). The Śiva Saṃhitā (15th–17th century CE) mentions yogis capable of levitation (Śiva Saṃhitā 3:42). Scientific studies of meditation report luminous experiences in diffuse but bright white light, sometimes with dynamic golden sparks (Lindahl et al. 2014, 6). 4 Further Considerations on Kundalinī’s Passage Through the Third Chakra The process of Kuṇḍalinī moving through the cakras has not always been linked with Self-realization and spiritual enlightenment, not only because the subtle body, Kuṇḍalinī, and cakras were discovered later and initially known only in limited regions, but also because the experience does not require prior knowledge of the phenomenon or of the terms used to describe it. Additionally, since the process can occur very rapidly, the stages of Kuṇḍalinī moving through the cakras are often indistinguishable. The process can also stop at any time, with Kuṇḍalinī retreating to its seat at the base of the spine, or it can bypass certain cakras and move through alternative channels. Kuṇḍalinī is located near the Mūlādhāra and Svādhiṣṭhāna cakras, with the third cakra Maṇipūra nearby; even in its usual resting position between Mūlādhāra and Svādhiṣṭhāna, it registers and influences the energy of the lower cakras daily. Without unusual or rare circumstances that require a highly concentrated effort of the mind, including intense dhyāna (Sa. “concentration”) practices, one can still experience the sensation of Kuṇḍalinī in lower cakras to varying degrees. When we understand that Kuṇḍalinī is not an independent kind of energy but simply our consciousness, it becomes clear how an increased flow of that energy into the Maṇipūra cakra can produce experiences of enhanced comprehension and confidence in one’s mental capacity. When all of Kuṇḍalinī energy is focused in the Maṇipūra cakra, all of the phenomena described above (see sections 3.1–3.4) become possible. In old texts like the Ṣaṭ-Cakra-Nirūpaṇa, as well as in recent publications, it is noted that the Maṇipūra cakra is a place where transformation of prāṇa into energy can take place (Pūrṇānanda in Avalon 1919). Contemporary neuropsychological studies focus mainly on the beneficial effects of meditation; however, because the process of Kuṇḍalinī moving through the Maṇipūra cakra – and the experiential effects associated with this transition – is not recognized as a distinct neuropsychological process and occurs in only a small portion of the population, it has not been systematically researched.
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