Shiva and Shakti

Consciousness and Energy

Īshwara is the omnipresent, eternal, formless divine principle; Purusha is the Ā tmā and
Prakriti is the manifestation, nature. An electric light can be used to explain their
relationship. The electric current, which is the source of the light, is Īshwara; the light is
Purusha, and the object that is illuminated is Prakriti.

SHAKTI (or Prakriti) means energy, power, movement, change, nature. It is the maternal
principle – the provider, abundance. In the human as well as in the animal kingdom the
mother offers nourishment, warmth and security. There is no greater love than the love
of a mother. The mother carries and nourishes the child in her own body. When it is
born she provides it with mother’s milk and raises it at the sacrifice of her own self until
it becomes self-reliant.

SHIVA (or Purusha), on the other hand, is pure consciousness – the unchanging,
unlimited and unswayable observer. Purusha has no desires whatsoever; these are
inherent only in Prakriti. Purusha is the empty, clear screen onto which Prakriti projects
her colourful film.

Shiva and Shakti are manifestations of the all-in-one divine consciousness - different
sides of the same coin. Through the splitting of the primordial principle at the advent of
creation the duality within our lives came into being, together with a strong force that is
constantly striving to re-unite with the other part.

Only when Shiva and Shakti combine can action, movement and creation arise. Until
energy is impregnated with consciousness it is ignorant, disordered, aimless and
“blind”. Energy alone can produce nothing; consciousness bestows upon it content, form
and direction. Conversely, consciousness without energy is dormant power, sleeping
energy, and on its own is unable to be the cause of anything. Just as Prakriti without
Purusha is unable to act, and vice versa, Purusha without Prakriti is also incapable of
creating anything.

Shiva and Shakti exist within each of us as the masculine and feminine principles. This
has an effect on the physical level – it is the cause of sexual attraction. Within man there
exists a tendency towards the feminine qualities, and within woman a tendency towards
the masculine. Through this the masculine consciousness is attracted by the feminine
and vice versa. If both are in balance there is no sexual attraction. But if a tendency
for the masculine predominates in man, or the feminine in woman, this results in a
preference for a homosexual partner.
Shiva resides in the Sahasrā ra Chakra and Shakti in the Mū lā dhā ra Chakra. When
Prakriti and Purusha unite in the Sahasrā ra Chakra, knowledge, knower and the object
of knowledge become one. Once we have experienced this no desires remain within us
because we realise unequivocally that everything we have ever yearned for is carried
within us. In this state of absolute consciousness there are no polarities and therefore
no more sorrows; there is only everlasting joy, unconditional love, unlimited
compassion and total understanding for all living beings.

Nādīs
Energy Channels and Transmitters
NĀ DĪS are energy channels through which PRĀ NA – divine energy, life and
consciousness – streams. Within the human body there is a subtle and perfect network
of 72,000 Nā dīs that distribute this life force throughout the whole body. On the
physical level the Nā dīs correspond to the nervous system, but their influence extends
beyond this to the astral and spiritual planes of our existence. If all the Nā dīs are
functioning correctly then we are healthy and generally feel happy. But nearly every one
of us has some physical or psychic problem, which means that some of the Nā dīs are not
working properly and need to be balanced.

PRĀ NA is conscious energy, which means that the Nā dīs also transmit consciousness. By
means of the Nā dīs one can see and hear things at a great distance and move in other
levels of consciousness. The Nā dīs make it possible for us to take mental journeys of
discovery throughout the entire Universe. With their help our consciousness is able to
go to any place we would like without the body having to move at all.

Three Nā dīs are of special importance - IDĀ , PINGALĀ and SUSHUMNĀ .

 IDĀ arises in the left side of the body and represents the moon principle
 PINGALĀ begins on the right side of the body and symbolises the sun principle.
 SUSHUMNĀ runs through the central channel of the spinal cord and represents
the consciousness.

On the physical level PINGALĀ has its counterpart in the Parasympathetic Nervous
System, IDĀ in the Sympathetic Nervous System, and SUSHUMNĀ in the Central Nervous
System.
The moon symbolises the mind with its changeable feelings, whereas the sun represents
the intellect. Just as our emotions and thoughts change constantly, the moon is also
constantly changing its form. The intellect, however, is a stable and constant principle
like the sun. Only when harmony and balance prevail between the moon system and sun
system are we healthy and capable of developing further mentally and spiritually.
When the three main Nā dīs unite only one stream of consciousness flows – the spiritual
energy of the Sushumnā Nā dī. The energy also flows through this Nā dī in deep
meditation and in Samā dhī. For as long as the Sushumnā is inactive we are plagued by
constantly changing CHITTA VRITTIS – thoughts, emotions, worries, etc. But once the
Sushumnā begins to flow the waves of the mind come to rest and we “bathe” in the bliss
of divine consciousness.

Pashuchakras
The Animal Centres
The energy centres in the feet and legs are known as Pashuchakras , lower or “animal”
Chakras. The entire area from the toes to the hips contains the “animal” spheres of
consciousness – a state of consciousness at a lower level of development than the
human genus.
In the embryonic period of development humans go through the same phases as
animals, and even show short-term external characteristics of fish, reptiles and
amphibians. Certainly these attributes recede, but the progression of growth within the
womb clearly indicates that the remnants of these evolutionary stages still exist in our
genetic makeup, and are stored within our DNA. Furthermore they exert an influence on
our consciousness and our psyche. These legacies of animal consciousness lie in the
lower Chakras.
This is why we strongly advise against exercises that concentrate on the feet and legs, as
the energy produced by the lower Chakras pulls the mind down to a primitive level -
though this is not immediately noticeable. Initially one may become conscious of
pleasant feelings, an increase in vitality, strength and self-esteem, but the on-going
consequences of such practices hold great danger. In extreme cases they can lead to
very severe depression, mental confusion and a loss of sensitivity. The compulsiveness
within us gains the upper hand and arouses destructive emotions such as passion, fury
and aggression. Long term, the capacity for human understanding and empathy is lost
by focussing on the lower Chakras.

Kundalinī
Serpent Power
The word-ending “ī” indicates that it relates to the feminine principle and deals with a
form of SHAKTI (energy) and PRAKRITI (nature). KUNDA is a hole or well into which all
debris and rubbish is thrown. our impressions from earlier lives lie like an amorphous
substance deep in the unconscious (Mū lā dhā ra Chakra). KUNDALA means ring
(generally earring). A ring or a circle has neither a beginning nor an end. It is infinite
and that is why it is a symbol of creation.

THE “AWAKENING OF THE KUNDALINĪ” MEANS THE AWAKENING OF INNER

Like every other form of energy one must also learn to understand spiritual energy.
From childhood onwards we learn how to deal with internal and external energies.
Whenever we run into something new and unknown we always need some time, as well
as practice and proper instruction, before we are able to deal with it. And so it is with
the power of the Kundalinī. In order to be able to integrate this spiritual energy, careful
purification and strengthening of the body and nervous system are required
beforehand.

Chakras
Energy Centres
Cosmic energy is constantly flowing all around us, into us and through us. But with our
normal everyday consciousness we do not notice this stream of energy. Therefore we
are unable to either utilise it or store it.

The main Nā dīs, Idā and Pingalā , run along the spinal column in a curved path and cross
one another several times. At the points of intersection they come into contact with the
divine energy of the Sushumnā Nā dī forming strong energy centres known as Chakras.

Cosmic radiation influences and guides our feelings, thoughts and qualities according to
our spiritual and karmic susceptibility. Each of the Chakras is connected to certain
qualities. 

Purification of the Nā dīs and Chakras means to develop their sensitivity and ability to
absorb. That is why we gradually become more sensitive through the regular practice of
Yoga. At the beginning certain emotions can also become stronger depending upon our
predisposition. But all of these phenomena are only temporary and disappear when the
wisdom of the Kundalinī awakens.
Mūlādhāra Chakra