Kundalini, The Serpent of Power

Excerpted from The Amazing Secrets of the Yogi by Charles F. Haanel, Edited by Anthony R. Michalski

This part tells where the masculine, fiery, and positive etheric forces come from and how they are distributed to all parts of the body. It also tells where the feminine, sympathetic, and negative forces come from and how they are distributed to every part of the body. It tells what happens when the positive and the negative forces meet. It tells of the power to create, preserve, and destroy. It tells of that force— which in Symbolical Language is called the “Garden of Eden”, the “Tree of Life”, and the “Tree of Knowledge”—and how the force sometimes leads downward to unrestrained lust and death and how it may be forced upward to supernal heights of power and spirituality. This is another of the Amazing Secrets of the Yogi!

The Pingala Nerve—or the right nostril flow—may properly be termed the Solar Nerve. Just as we depend upon the Sun for energy and heat, so the body depends upon the flow of the right nostril for energy and heat to carry out its functions.

This nerve is masculine and fiery in character. It carries currents of solar energy only, or positive etheric electrons. It is the guardian or ruler of the right half of the body.
It also rules over the upper portion of the body when we divide the body into lower and upper parts.

When we otherwise divide the body into two parts, such as the front (ventral side) and the back (dorsal side), it rules the front, or ventral, side.

The Ida Nerve—or the left nostril flow—may properly be termed the Lunar Nerve. It is feminine and cold in character like the Moon. It regulates distribution of the fluids within the body and keeps down excessive heat. These are the two most important works that are performed by this nerve. The Ida Nerve carries only currents of negative etheric electrons. When it is in flow, the sense of smell will be very keen. It is the ruler, or guardian, of the left half of the body and also the lower and back parts of the body.
The Sushumana Nerve—or equal flow of both nostrils—is neutral, destructive, and malevolent in character, though it may be given the power to lift one to Himalayan heights of Spiritual Beatitudes.

The power to create, preserve, or destroy lies dormant within it. This is the meeting place of the positive current of human electricity that runs down the Pingala Nerve and the negative current of human electricity that runs down the Ida Nerve.

It is the balance that weighs the solar fluid and the lunar fluid within the body. At the lower extremity is the sleeping and coiled up Serpent Power called Kundalini, which working downward leads to unrestrained lust and death, but if forced upward, leads to supernal heights of spirituality.

This is the serpent that deceived Eve in the Garden of Eden; but the same power work-ing upward lead Jesus to power.

The nerves that branch off downward to the sex organ from the lower extremity of the spine form what is in symbolical language called the “Tree of Knowledge or Good and Evil,” while the Sushumana Nerve, which leads upward to the brain, is spoken of in the Bible as the “Tree of Life.”

At the base of the spine is what is known as the Sacral, or Pelvic, Plexus. To the Clair-voyant, what is visible at this spot in the astral body is a glowing cross or a round plate divided into quadrants of orange-red colour. This is in Biblical language the Cherubim with the flaming sword that turns every way to guard the Tree of Life.

The flow of the Sushumana Nerve is likened to fire and death by the Yogi because it is at the time of its flow that all sorts of accidents, evils, and failures happen.

You should always have your meals when the right nostril is in flow because it is the positive etheric currents that go down the Pingala Nerve that create heat and energy to digest all solid food. It is the flow of this nostril that gives one appetite and hunger. If the right nostril does not flow when you have your meals, cause it to flow by the method given. If you follow this rule, you will never suffer from indigestion or other stomach troubles.

In man, when the right nostril is flowing, the sex element is active and predominant. At such times, the fair sex is naturally attracted by the magnetism of the male and the male naturally seeks the company of the female. If at such times men engage in courtship, they will derive full success and happiness.

The right nostril flow tends to increase the temperature of the body. Therefore, when you feel chilly, cause your right nostril to flow. When bathing or washing the body, see that your right nostril is flowing because bathing in cool or cold water tends to reduce the temperature of the body.

The Moon has influence over the water constituents of the body and therefore the flow of the Lunar nerve greatly aids the absorption and distribution of liquids that enter the stomach.

The Moon governs and controls the sexual manifestations of the fair sex. Therefore, at the time when the left nostril is flowing in a woman, her sexual impulses are at a high pitch. At such times she radiates a subtle magnetism that when combined with the al-lure of her sex can capture the hearts of men.

Therefore, the Hindu sages have enjoined that women should engage in love dis-courses or sexual unions at the time when their left nostril flows in order to derive suc-cess and a full measure of happiness.

Unbridled sexual passion in some women is the result of an excessive flow of the left nostril because the sex functions in women are dependent upon the left nostril flow.
Do all sorts of work and actions that require your undivided concentrated attention when the left nostril is flowing, as then your mind will naturally be in an unruffled and receptive state.

When you are tired; when you are in grief; when you sympathize with others; or when you are giving advice to others, it will be good to cause the left nostril to flow, for then it will minimize the evils and produce good.

Success or gain in all worthy undertakings, receipt of good news, and all other good results take place mostly when the left nostril is flowing.
When the Sushumana Nerve, or both nostrils, are equally flowing, no mundane mat-ters—either good or bad—should be commenced, for then they would end in failure. All disasters, accidents, and failures happen when both nostrils are equally flowing, for any happening of this sort is the outcome of tremendous forces within man, but beyond his control.

This is true because at the time when both nostrils flow equally, more prana is generat-ed within the body than at any other time.

But at the same when such flow occurs, if this creative energy is consciously har-nessed, man can do marvelous things. In order to convert the evil effects of Sushumana flow into a blessing, the Yogi are enjoined to practice meditation, concentration, affirmation, and other exercises that develop the spiritual side at the time of such flow.

The flow of Sushumana occurs in two or more different ways—and you should note this carefully. When the time comes for the flow of breath to change from one nostril to the other, it sometimes happens that simultaneously both nostrils begin to flow equally for about five minutes and then abruptly change to the other. That is one way.

The second way is as follows: A few breaths, let us say three, flow from the right nostril and then three breaths from the left nostril, and so forth in succession for about ten mi-nutes. Finally, the breath changes to the other nostril. This second way of the flow of Sushumana is rather rare and Breath Scientists lay special stress upon it. They assert that blessings given when the flow occurs as described will have dynamic power to bring about desired results. The blessing should be uttered during the few seconds when the right nostril flows or every time it begins to flow. This is a guarded secret of the Yogi.

Now for the explanation. When this kind of flow takes place, positive etheric currents and negative etheric currents run alternately down the right and left sides of the spine and upon meeting they produce a tornado of Prana that gives extra intensity to the thoughts that emanate from the mind at that time. It is also a known fact that the right nostril flow is better suited for all activities of the Conscious Mind, while the left nostril flow is more favourable for Subconscious activities. That is why the time of the right nostril flow is recommended for impressing the desire upon the Conscious Mind, while during the left nostril flow you are required to remain quiet in order to allow your thoughts to be conferred from the Conscious to the Subconscious Mind for immediate action to result.

Regarding this, we sometimes hear of persons who are said to have the fatal gift of what is known as “sorcery”. The things they pronounce, whether curses or blessings, have immediate effect. Now what is this subtle power that invests their thoughts with such quick results? It cannot be anything but an unnatural flow of the Sushumana oc-curring frequently during each day.

Yogis are in the habit of practicing alternate rhythmic breathing before they project thought either to heal or to bless someone far or near. This imparts the required degree of power to their thought. But in ordinary rhythmic breathing, we inhale one breath from each nostril at a time. Therefore, if by design we could cause the Sushumana to flow as required, we should obtain still quicker results by coupling breathing with affirmation and the visualization of our desires.

This seems to be the Cosmic Law that governs the Creative Word.

The actions of the three processes involving breathing are inhaling, retaining, and ex-haling. The Pingala and Ida Nerves arrest the minute etheric particles and carry them down the spine in a current only when the air passes through the nasal passage while inhaling. Therefore, the best time to impress your desires upon the Subconscious Mind is at the time of inhaling because then the thought that emanates from the brain will be carried along the etheric system.

Once the air enters the lungs, the etheric current ceases to flow and the air can only oxygenate the blood in the lungs. Therefore, the retaining of the breath does not help to store up etheric energy. But, at the time of retaining the breath, the mind can easily be held one-pointed so that there is some benefit in impressing your thoughts upon the mind at this time.

Therefore, when you want to store up more Prana, practice alternate rhythmic breath-ing, inhaling and exhaling very slowly, but without retaining the breath. But when you want to oxygenate the blood as well as store up Prana, as much as you can you may practice the same exercise and retain the breath.

The following exercise has been designed on the lines of the Sushumana flow in order to help you materialize your desires by the use of Creative Thought.
Close the right nostril and inhale a breath trough the left nostril. Exhale the breath slowly without retaining and then inhale again through the left nostril and exhale.

Take either three, four, five, six, or even seven breaths through the same nostril. Now close the left nostril and inhale through the right an equal number of breaths as before. All the time when you breathe through the right nostril, affirm, desire, or visualize your wants.

When you have finished the required number of breaths through that nostril, breathe through the other as before. Observe number, rhythm, and balance.

You should affirm, desire, or visualize only when you breathe through the right nostril and be quiet when breathing through the left. Practice this for about ten minutes.
Thus you may say that by entertaining thoughts of the kind that you desire to blossom forth in your life and by shutting out those that tend to defeat your purpose in life, you may obtain quick and permanent results.

Therefore, the most important thing to be observed by all those who desire to master fate is to shut out all thoughts of disease, misfortune, poverty, and other defeating ideas even if such conditions make their appearance, and substitute thoughts of health, success, wealth, and happiness.

Every effort you make—every desire you entertain for attaining your goal—will assist in attracting the conditions you desire.

It is the thoughts and desires that you have perhaps unconsciously entertained that are responsible for attracting this volume of Yogi Secrets to yourself.

With the sceptre of power that these teachings place in your hands, you can beat out a pathway to health, success, and the life abundant.

Part Four will reveal the dearest and brightest gem in this diadem of Yogi Power—the most precious jewel in this mysterious necklace of cryptic wisdom.

Part Three Questions and Answers

1. What nerve controls the right side of the body?
The Pingala Nerve governing the right nostril flow of breath controls the positive poles of the body and therefore controls the right side of the body, which is a positive pole.

2. What kind of energy does it carry?
The Pingala Nerve carries currents of solar energy only, viz., the positive etheric elec-trons, which are positive or masculine and fiery in character.

3. What nerve controls the left side of the body?
The Ida Nerve, governing the left nostril flow of breath, controls the negative poles of the body and therefore controls the left side of the body, which is a negative pole.

4. What kind of energy does it carry?
The Ida Nerve carries only currents of negative etheric electrons, which are feminine and cold in character.

5. Where is the Kundalini located?
The Kundalini is situated in the lower extremity of the spine.

6. What is this sometimes called?
The Kundalini is sometimes called the “Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil”. It is the serpent power which if it works downward leads to unrestrained lust and death, but if it forces its power upward leads to supernal heights of spirituality.

7. What is the Sushumana Canal sometimes called?
The Sushumana Canal or Nerve is sometimes called the “Tree of Life”.

8. When do disasters, failures, and accidents usually occur?
Disasters, failures, and accidents usually occur at the time of the nostril flow of the Su-shumana Nerve, when the right and left nostril flow of breath is occurring equally and concurrently. At such times, evil happenings are the outcome of tremendous forces within man, but beyond his immediate conscious control.

9. Why is this?
Because the equal and concurrent breath flow of both nostrils is neutral, destructive, and malevolent in character unless the Kundalini has been schooled by prior training of the subconscious to act spontaneously upward through the Sushumana Nerve instead of downward.

10. What are the three processes involved in breathing?
The three processes involved in breathing are inhaling, retaining, and exhaling. When you inhale, your thoughts are carried in with the stream of pranic energy. Affirm, desire, or visualize your wants when you breathe through the right nostril. Keep quiet when you breathe through the left nostril. When you retain retain the breath, your main object is to oxygenate the blood and help to feed it with nitrogen, but during retention benefit will result from continuing the thoughts held while inhaling.

The Amazing Secrets of the Yogi is part of The Complete Master Key Course: www.thecompletemasterkeycourse.com available through Kallisti Publishing.