Index to All Four Sections PART I ... Introduction. The never ending quest for signs and wonders. Slain In The Spirit. The final arbitrator - When it comes to spiritual matters ALL our decisions have be based NOT what took place in this ministry or that, NOT on anything anyone may claim or teach, and NOT on personal experiences (whether our own or someone else's), but on what the Word of God says - Nothing more, nothing less. PART II ... Is There A Biblical Basis For Being "Slain" or "Resting" In The Spirit? Examining the 'Proof Texts' . PART III ... Related Phenomena - Is there any Biblical support for Shaking In The Spirit, being Drunk In The Spirit, "Holy" Laughter, or Trances? YOU ARE HERE  PART IV... Comparing the supposedly 'Christian' phenomenon of 'Slain In The Spirit' with the ancient Hindu tradition of 'Awakening' Kundalini - an intelligent and contagious life force associated with the goddess Shakti. Can You Tell The Difference between the physical manifestations of 'Slain in The Spirit' and an 'awakened' Kundalini
ON THIS PAGE Understanding The Terms Chakras and Kundalini How Kundalini Is Awakened
Hatha Yoga, Presence and Shaktipat The Ultimate Purpose of a Kundalini Awakening - Unleashing the "Divinity" Within The Physical Manifestations of an "Awakened Kundalini"
A comparison of what happens when a person's Kundalini is' awakened' with what is taking place in many a Pentecostal or Charismatic church should be enough to raise warning flags in any Christian who is still breathing. Erratic Movements are NOT Restricted to Christian Believers
Can You Tell The Difference? Yet Fools Rush In Where Angels Fear To Tread Laughter as a "Spiritual" Experience A New Or Very, Very Old Thing? Footnote I
Hatha Yoga... Mere Physical Exercise, Or Union With The "Divine" and
Initial Steps To An Awakened Kundalini Footnote II
Kundalini in Several Other World Traditions
Understanding The Terms Chakras and Kundalini
Kundalini is a spiritual power in Hinduism. This article endeavors to explain what Kundalini is, how it is said to be "awakened", how it is imparted and its unmistakable parallels with some modern Charismatic and Evangelical practices.
The words Chakras, Kundalini and Shaktipat come from Sanskrit, an ancient Indo-Aryan language that is the classical language of India and the primary liturgical language of Hinduism used in worship and yoga. Chakras
Chakra, the Sanskrit word for 'wheel' or 'disk' is part of the ancient belief system associated with yoga. Ancient Indian/Tibetan tradition holds that there are seven Chakras or energy centers in the human body. These non physical circles of energy are spaced at intervals along the spine from the base to the crown of the head and are often depicted as lotuses that can open and close like the petals on the flower. Chakras are said to regulate all aspects of the physical human body including the organs, immune system and emotions with each Chakra governing specific functions. Thus, Yoga masters hold that the physical, mental, emotional and spiritual aspects of a person are connected with their Chakras It is believed that when all the Chakras are open, prana or life force energy flows freely through them. However, if they are closed or 'blocked' the blocked energy is likely to cause some form of mental or physical problems. For example, the throat Chakra (often associated with the thyroid gland) is said to physically govern the neck, ears, mouth etc. Communication is difficult if it is blocked or closed - the person may even have dental issues, a sore throat etc. Interestingly, the Chakras bear a strong similarity in location and number to the major endocrine glands like the ovaries, testicles, pancreas, and the Adrenal, Thyroid and Pituitary glands. All these glands release hormones through the body that control nearly all the bodily processes. (The teaching about Chakras predate the knowledge of the Endocrine System by hundreds, if not thousands of years.)
Kundalini:
In Sanskrit, Kundalini that literally means that which is coiled is often described as a concentrated form of Prana or "life force".
In Hindu tradition this Shakti (literally strength) is a very large reservoir of spiritual energy conceptualized as a serpent coiled three and a half times around the lowest Chakra at the base of the spine. It lies dormant in our bodies awaiting unfoldment at which time it will make its way up the other six chakras or energy centers in a process called "awakening". However, this can only happen if all chakras are open. Note: This "life force" or spiritual energy has been part of the belief system of many cultures for centuries. In Japan it is known as Ki, which is the source of the word Reiki. In traditional Chinese culture it is called qi, chi or ch'i. The Hawaiians call a form of a spiritual energy Mana. "
But here is where it gets a little darker.. Kundalini is An Intelligent Force AND Contagious
In Hinduism this concentrated life force is associated with the goddess Shakti - personified as the divine feminine consort of the god Shiva and is said to be the energy giving power behind all creation. What I find particularly alarming is that that numerous articles on Kundalini refer to it as an 'intelligent force' (All Emphasis Added) The unique perspective of Siddha Mahayoga is that because kundalini is an intelligent force it will, upon awakening, naturally direct the practice of the student. All that is required is that the student completely surrender to this force. As a result of kundalini's unfoldment spontaneous purifying movements, called kriyas will occur... [01] John Percyval who has been a "Shaktipat Master" since the mid-1980s says the title "is a little misleading" because (All Emphasis Added) Nobody really "Masters" Shakti. She does as She pleases, and we just try to stay out of the way. The Shaktipat Master is a vessel for transmission, Goddess is the source. I do not care for the term "kundalini Master", because it suggests mastery of Goddess, ... control of it, and that is an ego illusion. One does not Master kundalini, one steps aside and allows it to do its work through you, as the vessel. [02]
And there is more Kundalini is Also "Kali the destroyer"
Gopi Krishna, an Indian from Kashmir, experienced the sudden and forceful awakening of kundalini while meditating one morning. Publishing seventeen books, he devoted the last 25 years of his life to bringing the attention of the world to this phenomenon. In his book, The Awakening of Kundalini, he says Kundalini is traditionally known as (All Emphasis Added) "... Durga the creatrix, Chandi the fierce and bloodthirsty, and Kali the destroyer. She is also Bhajangi the serpent. As Chandi or Kali she has a garland of skulls around her neck and drinks human blood."
He calls this depiction a "hideous picture of a divine being", and "awful portraits of the Shakti (divine energy)". He also asks "what led the ancient masters to depict such a ghastly likeness of the goddess?". [03] The question then becomes 'How is Kundalini awakened?'
How Kundalini Is Awakened
Hatha Yoga
There are several ways in which someone's Kundalini can be awakened including through Hatha Yoga - something that many Christians are dangerously unaware of. See More About Hatha Yoga in Footnote I
Presence
On his website, Reiki grand-master and qualified yoga teacher Ajit Upadhyay answers the question of whether one can receive Shaktipat just by being in the presence of those with awakened shakti. He says, (Emphasis Added) There is no doubt that shakti is contagious. The mere presence of a single being whose shakti is strongly active can awaken the shakti of those around him. Similarly being in the presence of many people whose shakti is awakened to some degree can awaken one's own shakti. [04]
Shaktipat
However, the quickest and surest way to a Kundalini Awakening is through Shaktipat also known as the 'Descent of Grace'. It is derived from the Sanskrit Shakti (strength or psychic energy) and Pata (to fall). In Hinduism it is considered an act of grace on the part of the Guru and cannot be imposed by force, nor can a receiver make it happen. When 'awakened' the goddess is said to awaken and unfold each Chakra as she ascends through the spine, ensuring the free flow of life energy (Prana or Qi) throughout the body, thus balancing the chakras and promoting general health and well-being. When she has risen to the crown chakra at the top of the skull (associated with elevated spiritual consciousness), then all chakras have been opened and the person is said to experience enlightenment. All of the above may seem to you the reader to be bizarre, far fetched, even freaky gobbledygook from the heart of a religious tradition that is notoriously difficult to understand. Stay with it, because this is where it goes from a little darker to truly alarming. A comparison of what happens when a person's Kundalini is' awakened' with what is taking place in many a Pentecostal or Charismatic church should be enough to raise warning flags in any Christian who is still breathing.
The Ultimate Purpose of a Kundalini Awakening - Unleashing the "Divinity" Within
A web site called sacredspiritdancer refers to kundalini as "Unleashing the Divinity Within" [05]
Patanjali Kundalini Yoga-Care Says (Emphasis Added) In the Vedic tradition of India, this Holy Spirit is called Kundalini Shakti, the living spiritual power within that illumines each of us and guides us to union with the One. Feeling separate from this sacred presence causes us to feel a restless lonely frustration. Spiritual texts state that merging with divine source is the only solution to our deep human yearning and dissatisfaction and that this union is the very purpose of life and our ultimate destiny. [06]
And this tidbit by El Collie (Emphasis Added) "We have also been asked why we do not put more emphasis on union with the Divine and God-realization, which are very much central to spiritual awakening. Since everyone experiences and interprets their mystical experiences differently and very personally, to make sure no one will feel excluded, we just speak of "awakening consciousness" or "transcendent states" on the ST Web pages”. [07]
Even the National Library of Medicine says the ultimate goal of yoga and several other contemplative traditions .. is that of "union with Universal Consciousness." This is a state of oneness achieved through purifying and refining individual consciousness so that it merges with the Universal Consciousness by means of the eight steps of Patanjali. [08]
However, note that God has never ever said, or even indicated, that we will achieve any kind of union with Him. Adoption as children - Yes! Union - No!
The Physical Manifestations of an "Awakened Kundalini"
Kriyas are spontaneous, involuntary and repetitive movements that occur in the process of a spiritual awakening and are said to help release the kundalini energy. The kriyas that the person has no control over are said to clear the chakras that may be blocked impeding the kundalini rising. The ascent of the Kundalini as it pierces through the chakras is often manifested in certain physical and psychic signs such as (All Emphasis Added)
Intense involuntary, jerking movements of the body, including shaking, vibrations, spasm and contraction. Jerking, tremors, shaking; feeling an inner force pushing one into postures or moving one's body in unusual ways. Unusual breathing patterns may appear with either very rapid or slow, shallow breathing Altered states of consciousness: heightened awareness; spontaneous trance states; mystical experiences
Spontaneous vocalizations including laughing, screaming, weeping and hiccoughs. [09] Sound at all familiar? In fact, thekundaliniyoga.org also says
Erratic Movements are NOT Restricted to Born Again Christian Believers
Can You Tell The Difference?
It is not only the vocalizations, but the body movements that have to be compared. Pay close attention to how similarly people regardless of whether they are in a Hindu meditation session, a voodoo ritual, or a Pentecostal meeting somewhere in the world.
Be warned.. most of these videos are very disturbing. The following video is of the Hindu guru Rajneesh's (mentioned above) dynamic meditation sessions. Vigorous breathing and hyper ventilation is designed to arouse the serpent force called Kundalini, which the gurus believe lies coiled in the base of the spine. Pay attention to the screaming that occurs around the 52 second mark and again around the 2:18. However, I disagree with Jeremiah Films the producer inasmuch as they say the Guru uses mind control to brainwash large crowd. This is NOT mind control but a kundalini awakening. The involuntary movements and some kriyas, the screaming etc. are typical. In fact one of the participants even mentions kundalini at about the 4:50 mark There are also several short videos of Kriya Experiences on THIS page. Scroll down.
www.thekundaliniyoga.org/Kundalini/kriyas_shaktipat_kundalini_kriya_experiences_video_collection.aspx If we cannot attribute these people's experience to the working of the Holy Spirit, then how can we attribute the experiences in so many Pentecostal churches to the Holy Spirit. Here is a comparison of manifestations in the Church with manifestations in the Occult
Yet Fools Still Rush In Where Angels Fear To Tread.
When "kundalini teacher" said that he was legally and morally bound to issue warnings about kundalini, he also used the phrase "Fools rush in where Angels fear to tread". And he is right. Many thousands of Christians are rushing into spiritual quicksand, experimenting with Yoga, Contemplative prayer and even Kundalini directly. Here are a couple of examples of what goes on in the modern evangelical/charismatic world.
Bill Johnson, Randy Clark, and Leif Hetland
Watch the demonic activity on stage at the New Apostolic Reformation (NAR) 2017 conference featuring Randy Clark (founder and overseer of the Apostolic Network of Global Awakening), Leif Hetland and Bill Johnson who is a Dominionist, a false prophet and very much a NAR apostle (Why else would he be at the NAR conference?) Note: The involuntary movements especially evident in the woman at about the 4:30 mark on are nothing but Kriyas - a Kundalini ‘awakening’. The woman who stares screaming at about the 5:10 mark is truly horrifying and certainly was not caused by the God of peace.
If you really believe the people in the 'Christian' church were 'blessed' by the Holy Spirit of God, you have been hopelessly deceived. When the screaming sounds like someone being tortured to death, what is controlling them is not the Holy Spirit of God whose fruit, according to Galatians 5:22, is love, joy, and peace etc. Heidi Baker (Iris Ministries) - "Heidi Baker founded Iris Global in 1980 with her husband Rolland, and began ministering together in Asia. In 1995 they were called to the poorest country in the world at the time, Mozambique, and faced an extreme test of the Gospel"... Heidi oversees a "broad holistic ministry that includes Bible schools, medical clinics, church-based orphan care, well drilling, primary schools, evangelistic and healing outreaches in remote villages and a network of thousands of churches". [10b] This would rate the highest level of commendation IF it were not for this clear demonstration of demonic activity at one of her meetings. Watch THIS (especially from the 1:30 mark on). There is absolutely NO doubt that the "gods" she serves are the ones responsible for the bizarre movements. The frenzied movements of the blond young man that Heidi put her hands on around the 1.30 mark are eerily similar to the Hindu man in the Kundalini Awakening video below leaving little doubt that the "gods" she serves are responsible for the bizarre movements in both videos.. Also, as the second video shows, she often uses the word "gods" instead of God and on at least one occasion “lords” instead of Lord.
Here are three other videos from around the world that show the kind of behavior that often happens when the so called "holy" spirit descends... Kundalini Awakening
Again compare what you saw and heard in the Pentecostal church videos with a spontaneous kundalini awakening. Watch the man's movements and the sounds he makes in the first minute of this video. Again note his 'collapse' at about the 2:50 mark. Be careful - as this video finishes another invites you to learn how to awaken your Kundalini. Also take note of the shaking of the head that begins around the 1:10 mark.
Compare the man’s head shaking with the movements of Stacey Campbell (founder of the Canadian Prophetic Council and an honorary member of the Apostolic Council of Prophetic Elders, presided over by Cindy Jacobs. She is clearly being controlled by some demonic force while making a false prophecy over Todd Bentley at his commissioning ceremony attended by some well known people in the evangelical world. The head shaking and hissing begins around the 2:40 mark
Jude, wrote these words in order to warn Christians to beware of false teachers... Woe to them! For they have gone the way of Cain, and for pay they have rushed headlong into the error of Balaam, and perished in the rebellion of Korah. These are the men who are hidden reefs in your love feasts when they feast with you without fear, caring for themselves; clouds without water, carried along by winds; autumn trees without fruit, doubly dead, uprooted; wild waves of the sea, casting up their own shame like foam; wandering stars, for whom the black darkness has been reserved forever. (Jude 1:11-13 NASB)
However, by our actions, we make it very clear that we do not think Jude had any idea what he was taking about. Or perhaps that his words were far more suitably applied to the rather naive lot in the first century. We seem to believe ourselves to be altogether too smart to fall for any form of subterfuge or duplicity, well equipped to fine tune our spirituality and raise our awareness, along with the global consciousness of the planet. [See Overview of the New Age] Note, The link is to part II, but it might make more sense to read all three sections in order. Catholic Mystics
Which makes one wonder how many of the experiences of Catholic (and other) mystics and Contemplative are due to an awakened Kundalini. Fr. Thomas Keating - a Trappist monk (more about him below) certainly thinks it is very likely. He wrote the foreword to St Romain's Kundalini Energy and Christian Spirituality in which he described kundalini as an "enormous energy for good" and goes on to say.... Reading the Christian mystics from the perspective of his own experience of kundalini energy, the author sees many examples of its working in the lives of Christian saints and mystics. Since this energy is also at work today in numerous persons who are devoting themselves to contemplative prayer, this book is an important contribution to the renewal of the Christian contemplative tradition. It will be a great consolation to those who have experienced physical symptoms arising from the awakening of kundalini in the course of their spiritual journey, even if they have not experienced it to the full extent described by the author. His compelling testimony is a powerful affirmation of the potential of every human being for higher states of consciousness... In Christian spirituality, the unfolding of the stages of prayer described by St. Teresa of Avila in the Interior Castle may be the fruit of the kundalini energy arising under the guidance of the Holy Spirit. Kundalini may also be an active ingredient in the Dark Nights of St. John of the Cross. More About The Pioneers of Contemplative Prayer - Thomas Keating
Laughter as a "Spiritual" Experience
Note also that laughter is a common symptom of an awakened kundalini...
Indian Gurus:
It is very likely that most Americans will remember Rajneesh, the Indian mystic and spiritual teacher who garnered an international following. He scandalized Hindu leaders by calling for freer acceptance of sex and became known as the "sex guru" in the Indian press. His ashram in India became increasingly criticized for violence in it's 'therapy sessions' and allegations of drug use amongst sannyasins. Threatened punitive action by the Indian authorities, provided an impetus for the ashram to relocate to America, and Rajneesh established an intentional community in Oregon, called Rajneeshpuram, Rajneesh lived in opulence, earning the nick name the "Rolls-Royce guru" due to his large collection of Rolls-Royce automobiles. However, his followers existed at mere "subsistence level", most having severed ties with friends and family and donated all or most of their money and possessions to the commune. Rajneesh was eventually deported from the United States after it was revealed that the commune leadership had committed a number of serious crimes, including a bio-terror attack (food contamination) on the citizens of The Dalles. Denied entry by twenty-one countries he eventually returned to Pune, where he died in 1990. In his book, Dance Your Way To God, Bhagwan (God) Shree Rajneesh, tells one of his followers "just be joyful . . . God is not serious . . . this world cannot fit with a theological god . . . so let this be your constant reminder – that you have to dance your way to God, to laugh your way to God" (p. 229). Often referred to as being "drunk on the divine," Rajneesh encouraged his followers to come and "drink" from him. Bhagwan’s spiritual "wine" was often passed along with a single touch to the head. Many of his Sannyasins would fall to the floor in ecstasy after their encounters with Rajneesh. [11]
Ramakrishna, an Indian 'saint' (Emphasis Added) "daily went into 'samahdi,’ a trance in which one involuntarily falls down unconscious and enters a rapturous state of super-conscious bliss (ananda), complete with beautiful visions and often involving astral projection. These states could last anywhere from a few minutes to several days and were often accompanied by uncontrollable laughter or weeping. He could send others into this state with a single touch to the head or chest" [12]
And, Indian gurus are not the only ones to view extended periods of laughter as a spiritual experience. Laughter of Aphrodite: Carol Christ (1945 - 2021) who held a PhD from Yale University, was author of the widely reprinted essay "Why Women Need the Goddess," which argues in favor of the concept of there having been an ancient religion of a supreme Goddess. As director of the Ariadne Institute Carol Christ conducted pilgrimages to "sacred sites" in Greece, otherwise called Find the Goddess on a Sacred Journey in Crete. In her book Laughter of Aphrodite she says... "I laughed for hours and hours. All my private personal suffering...was dissolved in laughter...I felt transformed...and have always viewed what happened as a kind of spiritual experience ... People do not think of laughter as a spiritual experience. I now understand that laughter can be a mediator of transformation. [13]
A New Or Very, Very Old Thing?
There is something very wrong when we cannot validate the experiences and manifestations of the 'Slain in the Spirit' experience from the Bible, but find these same manifestations in Eastern mysticism. Christians that flock to churches like Bill Johnson's Bethel church in Redding California (to name just one of the hundreds that exist today) do not seem to realize that the manifestations that occur in these so called "churches" have existed for thousands of years.
For thousands of years Hindu gurus have operated with gifts of healing, miracles, gifts of knowledge and intense displays of spiritual consciousness. For thousands of years they have connected with a cosmic power which, though demonic in origin, is very real. For thousands of years devotees have gone forward to receive spiritual experience (Darshan) from a guru that is transmitted by a touch often to the forehead known as the Shakti Pat.. For thousands of years, as a result of the Shakti Pat, these devotees have had a raising of the spiritual experience called raising kundalini.... For thousands of years the manifestations of an awakened kundalini among people of other religions has been exactly the same as the results of being 'Slain in The Spirit' in so called Christian meetings.
In summary, the modern phenomenon of "slain in the spirit" has absolutely nothing to do with the Bible, but is rooted in the ancient practice of awakening the Kundalini through Shaktipat. Not convinced? They say a picture says a thousand words... In which case this video, comparing the spiritual manifestations of other religions and the new false revivals taking place inside the church, has to be worth at least a million.
Footnote I -
Hatha Yoga - Mere Physical Exercise OR Union With The "Divine"
Although most westerners are under the impression that the sole purpose of Hatha Yoga, the form of yoga most commonly taught in the west, is to build a strong and flexible body. However, what we should never forget is that the sole purpose of yoga was to experience spiritual enlightenment...
Dr Ed Hird, Rector of St. Simon’s Church North Vancouver, B.C. notes that The term 'yoga' comes from the Sanskrit word 'yug', which means to yoke. Few people in community centre yoga classes ask what they are yoking themselves to. Yogic practice is designed to yoke or bring psychic union with Brahman, the highest of the Hindu deities. What looks to us like simple stretches are in fact powerful psychic techniques that have been shown to change the very core of our consciousness..." [14]
And he isn't making this up. Yoga practitioner and author of numerous books, Dennis Littrel, says The word yoga itself means "to bind: or "to attach" or "yoke," as to yoke oxen. In a deeper sense it means to yoke the individual soul to God. [15]
Hatha Yoga - Initial Steps To An Awakened Kundalini?
Kundalini, is often achieved through a form of yoga called Raja (royal) or ashtanga (eight-limbed) yoga, founded by an ancient sage named Patanjali. However, it is not only by Raja Yoga, that "godhood" is said to be achieved, but the more common Hatha yoga, often perceived as mere physical and relaxation exercises that make enormous changes in the body. In other words, Raga or Ashtanga yoga begins where Hatha Yoga leaves off and the asanas (Yoga poses)are but the beginning of the journey. Hatha yoga typically involves physical postures ("asanas") and breathing techniques ("pranayama") to generate strength and flexibility. However, a Kundalini 'awakening' can be achieved through through asanas such as those taught in Hatha Yoga. Kundalini can be awakened by attaining perfection of certain hatha yoga postures called asanas, by certain breathing exercises aimed at controlling the breath called pranayama, by God's grace, by meditation or by intense devotion. [16] In other words "any form of Yoga is considered to be the starting point in the attempt to cleanse Karma and gain Moksha or Nirvana" [17]. The controlled breathing taught in most yoga classes is also part of the process of awakening Kundalini The website of Yoga Bharata a holistic Yoga Center in the south of India says (Emphasis Added) Asanas, more prominently work to redirect the vital energies and kundalini towards the crown of chakra. Asana are done as steady and comfortable physical postures. Asanas have become a popular way to maintain proper health for the contemporary mass. However, they were not initiated just to tone muscles or keep joints supple; but were designed to help in the union of the individual self with the divine. If practiced properly, asanas can bring kundalini to the crown chakra and help in merging the yogi’s consciousness with the divine consciousness of the Divine. [18] And, as the article goes on to say, (All Emphasis Added) Asanas have become a popular way to maintain proper health for the contemporary mass. However, they were not initiated just to 'tone muscles' or keep 'joints supple'; but were designed to help in the union of the individual self with the divine. If practised properly, asanas can bring kundalini to the crown chakra and help in merging the yogi's consciousness with the divine consciousness of Shiva. Pranayama is an important feature of Raja Yoga. Pranayama is believed to be the life force or energy control asana. Breathing is the main medium used in achieving this goal. The mind and life force are closely associated with breath. Through regulating the breathing and practicing awareness on it, one learns to control prana. There are many different kinds of pranayama, each with specific goals. All pranayama postures ultimately works towards the awakening of the kundalini shakti at the muladhara chakra. [19] {PLACE IN TEXT}
Footnote II - Kundalini in Several Other World Traditions
Although Kundalini is mainly associated with Hinduism, it is related to several other occult practices like Qi Gong, and is thought to have parallels in many of the mystical and gnostic traditions of the world's great religions like the ritualized dhikr ceremonies, the Whirling Dervishs of the Sufis and the Tummo practices of Tibet.
African Kung Bushmen Of The Kalahari
"The Grofs, in their book The Stormy Search For The Self cite an interesting parallel between the Kundalini awakening and the trance dance of the African Kung bushmen. During rituals the bushmen enter a profound altered state of consciousness associated with the release of powerful emotions such as anger, anxiety, and fear. They are often unable to maintain an upright position and are overcome by violent shaking. Following these dramatic experiences, they typically enter a state of ecstatic rapture. According to the bushmen tradition, the dance releases from the base of the spine a cosmic healing force called ntum or medicine. This is then passed by direct physical contact from one person to another." [20] Qigong (ancient Chinese practice). Yan Xin, a Chinese Qigong master known to most of the over one billion people in China, gave a talk in San Francisco in 1991. Seventeen hundred devotees, most of them Chinese, showed up at the Masonic auditorium to listen to Yan. The San Francisco Chronicle on 5/16/91 reported that "minutes into his talk, several began experiencing what Yan Xin calls spontaneous movements." The Chronicle reporter said that "before long, the scene resembled a Pentecostal prayer meeting with many people waving their arms and making unintelligible sounds." Yan told his audience, "Those who are sensitive might start having some strong physical sensations - or start laughing or crying. Don't worry. This is quite normal." The article said that "since 1985, when a Qigong revival started sweeping China, 50 to 60 million Chinese have gone to see Yan." [21]
Subud
Subud is an international, interfaith spiritual movement that began in Indonesia in the 1920s, The core of Subud is the latihan experience The central practice of Subud is the latihan kejiwaan (literally "spiritual exercise" or "training of the spirit"[8]) or simply 'the latihan'. This exercise is not thought about, learned or trained for; it is unique for each person and the ability to 'receive' it is passed on by being in the presence of another practicing member at the 'opening' In the practice of the exercise, members are typically advised to follow 'what arises from within', not expecting anything in advance. One is recommended not to focus on any image or recite any mantra, nor to mix the exercise with other activities like meditation or use of drugs, but simply to intend to surrender to the Divine or the transcendent good or the will of God. (The term "God" is used here with a broad and inclusive intention. An individual is at liberty to substitute interpretations that they feel more in tune with.)
One is not to pay attention to others in the room, each of whom is doing his or her own latihan. During the exercise, practitioners may find that, in terms of physical and emotional expression, they involuntarily move, make sounds, walk around, dance, jump, skip, laugh, cry or whatever. The experience varies greatly for different people, but the practitioner is always wholly conscious throughout and free to stop the exercise at any time. [22]
End Notes
[01] Siddha Mahayoga FAQ. Version 2.0, May 1996. Copyright Kurt Keutzer, 1996.
http://www.eecs.berkeley.edu/~keutzer/kundalini/siddha-mahayoga.html
[02] John Percyval. Shaktipat. Shaktipat. kundalini-teacher.com/initiations/shaktipat.php [03] Gopi Krishna. The Awakening of kundalini Paperback. Publisher: Institute for Consciousness Research (January 1, 1989)
Pgs 13-15 [04] Siddha Mahayoga FAQ. Version 2.0, May 1996. Copyright Kurt Keutzer, 1996.
http://ajitupadhyay.tripod.com/meditation/siddh-mahayoga.htm [05] kundalini Yoga: Unleashing the Divinity Within.
http://sacredspiritdancer.wordpress.com/2011/04/07/kundalini-yoga-unleashing-the-divinity-within/ [06] The Divine Within Us All: Kundalini Shakti.
http://kundalinicare.com/nat-a-article/#:~:text=In%20the%20Vedic%20tradition%20of,feel%20a%20restless%20lonely%20frustration [07] El Collie. kundalini Signs and Symptoms. http://www.eaglespiritministry.com/teaching/elcollie/ecka.htm [08] National Library of Medicine https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9128627/ [09] Symptoms of Kundalini Awakening and Kriyas (Pranic movements)
https://www.thekundaliniyoga.org/kundalini/Symptoms_of_Awakening.aspx [10] Kriyas: Shaktipat, Kundalini Kriya Experiences: Video collection. [10b] Global Awakening. Heidi Baker. About Heidi.
https://globalawakening.com/heidi-baker/#:~:text=Heidi%20Baker%20founded%20Iris%20Global,extreme%20test%20of%20the%20Gospel. [11] Warren Smith. Holy Laughter or Strong Delusion.
http://www.sermonindex.net/modules/newbb/viewtopic.php?topic_id=17795&forum=34&7 [12] ibid. [13] Carol Christ. “The Laughter of Aphrodite: Reflections on a Journey to the Goddess” (Harper and Row, 1987, Pgs. 5, 6 [14] Dr Ed Hird. Yoga: More than Meets the Eyes? April 5, 2013. http://edhird.com/2013/04/05/yoga-more-than-meets-the-eyes/ [15] Dennis Littrel. Yoga: Sacred and Profane: (Beyond Hatha Yoga) Paperback. Publisher:
CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform (November 13, 2010) Pg. 32 [16] The Path of kundalini Maha Yoga by Shri Dhyanyogi Madhusudandasji. Meditation and Breath.
http://dyceastcoast.tripod.com/dhyanyoga-centers-ontheeastcoastcopy/id2.html [17] Raja Yoga: Eight Limbs Of Ashtanga Yoga. http://www.indianetzone.com/1/raja_yoga_meditation.htm
[18] https://bharataashtangayogamysore.wordpress.com/2013/11/21/raja-yoga/ [19] Raja Yoga: Eight Limbs Of Ashtanga Yoga. http://www.indianetzone.com/1/raja_yoga_meditation.htm [20] Warren Smith. Holy Laughter or Strong Delusion.
http://www.sermonindex.net/modules/newbb/viewtopic.php?topic_id=17795&forum=34&7 [21] ibid. [22] Subud An Indonesian Spiritual Movement. http://www.bahaistudies.net/asma/subud-wikibook.pdf | 
