Awakening Kundalini: The Path to Radical Freedom

by Lawrence Edwards Ph.D.

Overview

The universal force known as Kundalini has been shrouded in mystery for centuries, yet it influences our every breath, thought, and emotion. With Awakening Kundalini, one of the West's most respected teachers and researchers in the field explores this spiritual principle in unprecedented depth, with detailed guidance for discovering and working with it directly.

In India's spiritual teachings, Kundalini is known as the principle within that compels us to evolve and grow. Traditions across the globe have described it as a force that lies dormant within us and, when awakened, connects us to the energy of creation and profoundly elevates consciousness.

With his unique expertise in modern psychology, neuroscience, meditation training, and spiritual traditions, Lawrence Edwards clarifies the many dimensions of Kundalini awakening, including practices and meditations for recognizing its manifestations and preparing your body and mind to enter its expansive, empowering flow.

When worked with skillfully, Kundalini is the most profoundly transformative power in our lives. Awakening Kundalini makes available a complete and practical resource for tapping into this force, and realizing your ability to live "radically free."

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781604079326
Publisher:	Sounds True, Incorporated
Publication date:	10/01/2013
Pages:	296
Sales rank:	544,348
Product dimensions:	5.90(w) x 8.90(h) x 0.90(d)

About the Author

Dr. Lawrence Edwards
Dr. Lawrence Edwards is the president of The Kundalini Research Network, as well as the founder of a Kundalini support website,kundalinisupport.org. He is the founder and director of the Anam Cara Foundation and a contributing author to the Sounds True anthology Kundalini Rising: Exploring the Energy of Awakening. Lawrence has practiced and taught meditation for over 40 years, is a board-certified neurotherapist, a licensed psychotherapist, and has been on the faculty of New York Medical College since 1998. He is the author of the critically acclaimed book on Kundalini, The Soul's Journey: Guidance From The Divine Within and Kali's Bazaar. He leads retreats on the Mysteries of the Divine Feminine and Awakening Kundalini.

Table of Contents

Preface xi

Introduction Kundalini's Quest: The Full Embrace of Life xiii

1 Kundalini and the Great Goddess 1

2 The Universe Within 11

3 Encountering Kundalini: Through the Heart, Beyond the Mind 19

4 Maps of Kundalini's Domain 27

5 The Ego and the Self 47

6 The Souls Yearning for Transcendence 59

7 Yoga Psychology and Western Psychology 77

8 Finding and Following the Truth through Viveka, Discrimination 97

9 Cultivating the Field for Awakening 115

10 The Eight Limbs of Classical Yoga 135

11 Meditation: Unfolding Kundalini's Grace 147

12 The Role of The Teacher/Guru in Kundalini Sadhana 169

13 Upayas: The Means to Freedom 181

14 Kriyas: Kundalini Recreating Mind and Body 189

15 Challenges on the Path 201

16 Shedding Light on the Shadow 227

Epilogue The Threads, the Cloth, and the Weaver 241

Notes 245

Bibliography 251

About the Author 259

Editorial Reviews

This book is ‘state of the art’—the most comprehensive discussion of the universal life force, Kundalini. Edwards shows us, in unprecedented depth, each step of our spiritual development.” —Charles L. Whitfield, MD, author of Choosing God; and Barbara H. Whitfield, RT, author of Spiritual Awakenings

“This book is an incomparable aid in taking us beyond the confines of the delusionary certainties of our ego mind toward the experience of the deepest ground of our own being.” —Anne Baring, author of The Dream of the Cosmos

“A balanced treatment of the psychological process encountered in inner work, including important discussions on the healthful role of the ego mind and working with our shadow in the process of Kundalini awakening.” —Rev. Mary B. O’Malley, MD, PhD

“Wise, elegant, and inspiring.” —Lee Lyon, founder and director of the Foundation for Integrative Meditation

“This book is a revelation that is a service to all of us. It is remarkably clear, beautifully poetic, and so powerful.” —Andrew Hahn, PsyD, founder and director of the Guided Self Healing Training Institute

“This book is an indispensable guide for anyone on the path of spiritual awakening. Dr. Edwards has devoted his life to studying and practicing the unfolding process of Kundalini, the subtle spiritual energy within everyone that leads to the highest states of consciousness. His depth of knowledge, personal experiences, and devotional poems illuminate the pages of this extraordinary book. Acknowledged worldwide for his professional experience in guiding people along the spiritual path-particularly through the mysteries of advanced yogic practice-Dr. Edwards is a gifted and compassionate guide. His devotional journey will inspire all who read his book. It is destined to become a classic in the field.” —Olivia Ames Hoblitzelle, author of Ten Thousand Joys & Ten Thousand Sorrows: A Couple's Journey through Alzheimer's

“Your descriptions, explanations, and in-depth experiences of the chakras are excellent.” —Marion Woodman, author of Dancing in the Flames

“You have a magnificent, great story to tell.” —Joseph Chilton Pearce, author of The Biology of Transcendence

From the Publisher