The meaning of pain?

[Maristha]

I see I return to the Kundalini section over and over, because it is the most defining event in my life. Also the most confusing. It’s only online that I have found people who can relate to what is happening to me.

As I have mentioned in earlier posts, I’ve had a rough time with Kundalini rising. Lots of pain and pressure and energy risings that last for hours. Let me start off by saying this post is not about being in pain now. I have found an answer that fits (for now). I’m asking what answers others have come up with.
None of my friends have had similar experiences, so they can’t relate. One friend had a spontaneous rising up to the navel, but for him it was all good feelings and bliss. And after about 6 weeks it stopped.
Still, I asked my friends why they think my experience was not all bliss and ecstasy.
The view of one was that I chose the pain.
The view of another was that I was vibrating at a low level and that was why I saw scary visions.
I can tell you, both views annoyed me.
I have read about different experiences of people and I have realized that the Kundalini experience can vary a lot for people.

So my question is why would some people experience a lot of pain? And the next is what is pain really? What does the pain mean?

As to what pain is, I’m no scientist, but I suppose pain happens when there is a neural overload. Pain can also feel like a tremendous pressure.

Some answers I have come up with, is that the pain could be because of old, unresolved issues that cause blockages. Another is that our bodies have knots in certain centres as natural barriers and that it’s the tremendous push of energy up against these knots that cause the pain. I suppose pain can be a purifier. And teaches empathy with the suffering of others.

I have experimented with different approaches to the pain. At times I run them one after the other. When the energy surges upwards and causes pain, I think of the people that matter to me (those I love and those I find difficult to love) and send love from my heart to them. For me this approach seems to work best. Or I distract myself by imagining myself very small and stand to aside to let the energy surge upwards. Or I would swirl the energy in the painful area – that takes long. Or I would see myself absorbing elemental fire energy and add to the energy surges, to increase the fire. When I feel a lot of pressure in my head I try to forget that I am flesh and bones and see myself as a cloud of energy.

Can anyone relate and how do you approach the issue of pain?

[Korpo]

There are several possible explanations that come to mind for me - the topic of nerves and blockages seems to be related for sure. If you have a brittle or overexcited nervous system, it does not have the capacity to handle surges beyond the normal load.

Pain signifies that the body interprets the state of a system to be out of its normal parameters. Be it a bruised toe, or an excess energy flow. The more you keep your nervous system in a state of agitation or let chronic pains and ailments persist, the less extra capacity there is. For some people, even normal life is too stressful for their nervous system to handle. Or barely handleable. When now extra current goes over that wire the result would be overload and pain. Other people are well below capacity, due to their personal reaction to stress, their genetics, whatever influences this, and the extra energy is just bliss.

I think a good way to deal with this problem could be doing two things:

1) Bruce Frantzis recommends developing "the downward current" to soothe the nerves and strengthen the energy capacity of the system without straining it. Sinking energy downward through the body is helpful in de-exciting the nervous system, calming down and healing up stress.

2) Removing blockages in general, neutralising and sinking their excited energies. Expanding energy phenomena in the body are usually unproblematic *until* they hit a block. When a blockage is triggered, negative side effects - pain, nausea, emotional turmoil, etc. - occur. A block usually severely reduces the capacity of nearby energy centers or lines. The removal of blocks allows for increased energy flow.

In your situation I would not consciously add to the current while it is happening, because IMO this is a bit risky and could lead to burn-out. I would during the time between episodes do energy work as I suggested to smoothen down the experiences.

I think the pain is not a symptom of the Kundalini energy, but of the state your body is in. Cleansing the body should help to mitigate the pain and overcome it in time, at least IMO.

Take good care,
Oliver

[Maristha]

Thanks, that is a very sane reply. I think you have a good explanation of reason for pain. I`m not the easy flowing, relaxed kind of person. I would say I operate at near full capacity. Add lots more energy to that and things could get hairy...
I am doing energy work at mornings and nights, swirling it up and down.
Because I used to get the energy surges at work etc, I had to learn very quickly to "manage" it. By now I can stir up the energy at will, within a few minutes. Calming it down, is another animal all together. I`ll start practising more downwards movements from now.
I don`t have really painful experiences anymore, but I`m the type of person who likes to understand why things happen as they do.

[Maristha]

Hi Oliver
I tried your advice last night. Sweeping the energy down, into the Earth.
I see I`ll have to reach a compromise. As soon as I focus my awareness on doing energy work, the energy awakens and moves in an upwards direction.

So last night I tried this: Let the K go upwards as it will, without stimulating it consiously. And then consiously, I connected to the Universe and drew down calming, peaceful energy in blue/violet colour. Then moved the peace energy down my spine into the Earth. While I sang to myself a wonderful song I love, called Peace tonight.

That went very well I think. The snake moved up happily in a brilliant white light, coiled upwards through my heart and rose in my head. Much smoother. Thank you for the good advice.

[Korpo]

You're welcome.

But the creative act of making your own of it is yours. 8)

Oliver

[Mahavatar_Babaji]

Hi Maristha. One can expect some form of pain when kundalini awakens. I experienced pain, pressure and heat in my spine when mine awakened and I still do when I meditate. You might feel like there is no one to talk to about your kundalini awakening (who might actually understand), but there are people living with awakened kundalini. Have a look at this forum. Its a friendly and supportive community of people with awakened kundalini.

http://www.kundalini-support.com/forum/index.php

[dslandolfe]

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