Quote:

Though the question is not directed to me yet I think to offer a small clarification. Kundalini jagran through breath control was widely practiced by yogis and sidhas. Many sikh- preachers still tell these things in the context ot Sidh Ghosthi. There are many recordings available on the net. Kudalini awakening leads to release of energy. By following the method of breath control, called Pranayaam also, it takes lot of time as one has to start from the lowest most chakra called as mool chakra. It is from this that one graduates to the highest level to crown chakra. Sikhism has not approved of it; instead it is recommended the Naam practice and it is stated in bani that one can have the kundalini awakening by 'naam' and by eulogizing the Creator through keertans etc. in the sangat. This kind of raj yog was recommended by Swami Vivekanand as well but sikhs do not practice it as a part of religion.One may do it for the purpose of mantaining good health etc.

ਰਸਨਾ ਜਪੀਐ ਏਕੁ ਨਾਮ ॥
rasanaa japeeai eaek naam ||
With your tongue, chant the Name of the One Lord.

ਈਹਾ ਸੁਖੁ ਆਨੰਦੁ ਘਨਾ ਆਗੈ ਜੀਅ ਕੈ ਸੰਗਿ ਕਾਮ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥
eehaa sukh aanandh ghanaa aagai jeea kai sang kaam ||1|| rehaao ||
In this world, it shall bring you peace, comfort and great joy; hereafter, it shall go with your soul, and shall be of use to you. ||1||Pause||

ਕਟੀਐ ਤੇਰਾ ਅਹੰ ਰੋਗੁ ॥
katteeai thaeraa ahan rog ||
The disease of your ego shall be eradicated.

ਤੂੰ ਗੁਰ ਪ੍ਰਸਾਦਿ ਕਰਿ ਰਾਜ ਜੋਗੁ ॥੧॥
thoon gur prasaadh kar raaj jog ||1||
By Guru's Grace, practice Raja Yoga, the Yoga of meditation and success. ||1||

ਹਰਿ ਰਸੁ ਜਿਨਿ ਜਨਿ ਚਾਖਿਆ ॥
har ras jin jan chaakhiaa ||
Those who taste the sublime essence of the Lord

ਤਾ ਕੀ ਤ੍ਰਿਸਨਾ ਲਾਥੀਆ ॥੨॥
thaa kee thrisanaa laathheeaa ||2||
have their thirst quenched. ||2||

ਹਰਿ ਬਿਸ੍ਰਾਮ ਨਿਧਿ ਪਾਇਆ ॥
har bisraam nidhh paaeiaa ||
Those who have found the Lord, the Treasure of peace,

ਸੋ ਬਹੁਰਿ ਨ ਕਤ ਹੀ ਧਾਇਆ ॥੩॥
so bahur n kath hee dhhaaeiaa ||3||
shall not go anywhere else again. ||3||

ਹਰਿ ਹਰਿ ਨਾਮੁ ਜਾ ਕਉ ਗੁਰਿ ਦੀਆ ॥
har har naam jaa ko gur dheeaa ||
Those, unto whom the Guru has given the Lord's Name, Har, Har

ਨਾਨਕ ਤਾ ਕਾ ਭਉ ਗਇਆ ॥੪॥੮॥੧੪੬॥
naanak thaa kaa bho gaeiaa ||4||8||146||
- O Nanak, their fears are removed. ||4||8||146||
~SGGS Ji p. 211

What I have been discussing is not Kundalini yoga. It is an explanation of the function and purpose of Naam Abhiyaas. Because the Naam opens our chakras and unlocks our dasm duar this facillitates what is also known as kundalini awakening. But the practice is not Kundalini yoga, it is the practice3 of Raja Yoga which Guruji taught and why it appears in Gurbani and supportive rehitnamay. This is also taught by Gursikhs like Bhai Sahib Bhai Randhir Singh Ji. Sadly, a majority of the Panth does not read Gurbani carefully and has lost this metaphysical knowledge.

I can assure you, sitting in a Gurdwara, listening to kirtan, in the sangat... will have no power to liberate you. Waiting on Guruji's grace will not achieve the desired effect. What is desired isn't simply converting to, believing in, or outwardly practicing a religion. None of those things will ever lead to transformation of consciousness. It's absolutely no different from the superficial practices and lack of understanding which is also seen in other religions. Contrary to many people's desire for simplicity, ignorance does not lead to bliss.

What makes Sikhism different? Is it the philosophy? Is it the kirtan? Is it the bani? Is it sitting in Gurdwara with the sangat? Think about it. Would any of these things alone have the power to transform anybody? So I'm trying to point out a common weakness in modern Sikh philosophy which stems from disconnection from the metaphysical knowledge of purataan times, and a complete loss of contact with the practices which explain HOW the Naam, the Vaheguru Gurmantara, the pranayam practice of Naam abhiyaas, the Naam simran, the amrit vela, the Khande Ki Pahul Gur-deekhya, keeping the sadhana of rehit Maryada are all practices of Raja Yoga to facillitate the locking of the nine gates through which praan escapes the body and entangles us in the sansaara, and redirect upwards to unlock the tenth gate and expand beyond limits of the human brain the perception, the merging with Vaheguru.

ਜਾ ਕਉ ਗੁਰੁ ਹਰਿ ਮੰਤ੍ਰੁ ਦੇ ॥
jaa ko gur har manthra dhae ||
Those unto whom the Guru gives the Mantra of the Lord's Name

ਸੋ ਉਬਰਿਆ ਮਾਇਆ ਅਗਨਿ ਤੇ ॥੩॥
so oubariaa maaeiaa agan thae ||3||
are saved from the fire of Maya. ||3||
~SGGS Ji p. 211

That's a tall order! But none of this has to do with yoga as practiced by another guru, another school of thought, another religion. We have our own Living Guru! But if people constantly diminish the explanation which is in Gurbani, in supportive rehitnamay, in writings of Gursikhs like Bhai Sahib Bhai Randhir Singh Ji, then I suppose we can all sit in sangat and wait...for these metaphysical changes to happen. But I think it's going to be a long wait. If we are Guruji's chelas, then we practice what Guruji has given us, and we accept this process (cooperative effort with Guru) is required to free us from bodily sansaaric entanglement.

Every human being has chakras, as they have a body and chakrs are part of the human body. Whether or not you have understanding of the nature of the chakrs, whether or not you accept the energy must be redirected upwards piercing through blocks and bondages made from lifetimes of negative patterns and habits is individual. Whether or not some yogi practicing some siddha yoga or kundalini yoga or hatha yoga is spending a long time trying to raise the energy is not at issue here. This metaphysical physiology of human beings is expressly recorded here in Shabad Guruji Maharaaj. So Guruji is telling us that it has validity otherwise it wouldn't be in Gurbani. And if we all have this metaphysical physiology, there must be some practices we can do to cleanse the inner blockages and defilements which prevent our spiritual perception. If people neglect to do this spiritual work which encompasses the body-mind-soul, we cannot change. We stay stuck. We stay with energy escaping through the nine sense openings to perceive only the sensual world.

If you ever wondered what is wrong with our Sikhi, what is wrong with our sangat, what is wrong with our leaders, what is wrong with our world...this is it. We are all in bondage. We are slaves to ancient negative patterns of thinking and perceiving and feeling and responding. (I don't mean this in a critical way to say people are bad, but for explanation, the people around us have there own karam and are stuck. How can simply associating with these people as stuck as we are ever help to liberate us?) So often people do complain, these say "Jatha xyz is unloving, I've met more spiritual monas and even met better sinners!" Why do people say and observe these kind of disappointing things? Because the people in this world are lost. We are all entangled in bondages we don't even notice. Just being born in Sikh religion, or converting to Sikh religion, or getting amrit chukk is NOT of itself enough to facillitate the kind of change in a person's body-heart-mind-soul-consciousness to make a difference and start unlocking those ties that bind us to the sensual world. Just going to Gurdwara, singing kirtan, reading Gurbani, doing seva, wearing kakkars is NOT going to make you the Guru's chela.

I'm trying to explain that something more which is required, and explain from Gurbani the metaphysical process which must occur with the whole package of sadhana practices given by Guruji if anyone is to 1. be delivered from stuckness to sansara (embracing the world from root chakr) 2. be cleansed from inner defilements and obscurations (bandhas and kaleshas which obstruct the energy at certain chakrs from past actions and ignorance) 3. to overcome our inner 5 demons, the weaknesses of human nature which unlock the gates of hell and bring evil to earth. Without this, we can't change, we are too corrupted to jump to a condition of holiness. First we need cleansing, which of necessity is tackling issues at a psycho-spiritual level of mind and defilements of intent and obscurations of negative thinking patterns. Otherwise we can never proceed past self-delusion. And this is why so many fake babas and sants are around. They get half-baked so to speak, achieving a degree of spiritual insight but failing to conquer the impurities of consciousness. And this is why there are so many disappointing scandals in the world where religious teachers and leaders all fall down and do bad things in the name of religion.

How can any of this occur if people are afraid of the word "yoga?" And associate it with a whole bunch of things like Kundalini yoga, brahminvaad, Osho, riddh siddhia, black magic, fake babas and sants and whatever? Just investigate and study the Gurbani, the katha from Gursikhs, the purataan historic references, and you will see this is Guruji's yoga (means of uniting the Sikh-chela with Vaheguru). Sikhism is not mere philosophy, not mere cultural identity, not mere shell. It is a system of Living practice with a Living Master which can led to 1. mukti 2. samadhi 3. merging. If your religion can't change you, if all it does is go from abc to rocket science with no prescription how to get from A to Z, if you think it's about sitting around hoping for the best and calling it grace...we're never going to get there. And if we can't get there, how can anyone say Sikh religion has anything to offer the world which is stumbling in the dark with enough problems already than to add a fake cure. How can anyone say "Sikhism has not approved of... the practices which are in Gurbani?" Is this because we perceive as people that no one around us, committee members, people who go to Gurdwara year in and year out, themselves don't recognize the very practices which are in Gurbani and belong to purataan Gursikhi? We don't need to go to Osho, or Zen, or Yogi Bhajan or anybody. Of course knowledge is good to have, but our Sikhi is rich beyond anything they have to offer. But it is sad that Guruji who was recognized as a Yoga Master has left a legacy of teaching where people don't even understand ancient and basic yogic concepts such as dasm duar, Naad, sass giras simran, amrit vela...and think it must relate to something like brahmanvaad when you bring their attention to it. Our we losing hold of our Living Guru and His Living practices of spiritual liberation?

ਪਉਣੁ ਪਾਣੀ ਬੈਸੰਤਰੋ ਧਰਤਿ ਅਕਾਸੁ ਉਲਘਿ ਪਇਆਣਾ ।
paunu paanee baisantaro dharati akaasu ulaghi paiaanaa|
Gurmukh goes beyond air, water, fire, earth and sky.

ਕਾਮੁ ਕ੍ਰੋਧੁ ਵਿਰੋਧੁ ਲਘਿ ਲੋਭੁ ਮੋਹੁ ਅਹੰਕਾਰੁ ਵਿਹਾਣਾ ।
kaamu krodhu virodhu|aghi|obhu mohu ahankaaru vihaanaa|
Resisting lust and anger he crosses the greed, infatuation and ego.

ਸਤਿ ਸੰਤੋਖ ਦਇਆ ਧਰਮੁ ਅਰਥੁ ਸੁ ਗਰੰਥੁ ਪੰਚ ਪਰਵਾਣਾ ।
sati santokh daiaa dharamu aradu su garandu panch paravaanaa|
He espouses truth, contentment, compassion, dharma and fortitude.

ਖੇਚਰ ਭੂਚਰ ਚਾਚਰੀ ਉਨਮਨ ਲਘਿ ਅਗੋਚਰ ਬਾਣਾ ।
khaychar bhoochar chaacharee unaman|aghi agochar baanaa|
Getting above of the khechar bhuchar chachar, unman and agochar (all yogic postures) mudras he concentrates upon the One Lord.

ਪੰਚਾਇਣ ਪਰਮੇਸਰੋ ਪੰਚ ਸਬਦ ਘਨਘੋਰ ਨੀਸਾਣਾ ।
panchaain paramaysaro panch sabad ghanaghor neesaanaa|
He beholds God in five (select persons) and the five sounds of five words become his special marks.

ਗੁਰਮੁਖਿ ਪੰਚ ਭੂਆਤਮਾ ਸਾਧਸੰਗਤਿ ਮਿਲਿ ਸਾਧ ਸੁਹਾਣਾ ।
guramukhi panch bhooaatamaa saadhasangati mili saadh suhaanaa|
Antahkaran, the basis of all five external elements is cultivated and cultured by gurmukh in the holy congregation.

ਸਹਜ ਸਮਾਧਿ ਨ ਆਵਣ ਜਾਣਾ ॥੫॥
sahaj samaadhi n aavan jaanaa ॥5॥
This way immersing in undisturbed trance he gets liberated from the cycle of transmigration.
Vaar 7 Pauri 5 of Vaaran Bhai Gurdas Ji

ਵਿਣੁ ਕਰਮਾ ਕੈਸੇ ਉਤਰਸਿ ਪਾਰੇ ॥੫॥
vin karamaa kaisae outharas paarae ||5||
Without the karma of good actions, how can you cross over? ||5||

ਮੁੰਦ੍ਰਾ ਫਟਕ ਬਨਾਈ ਕਾਨਿ ॥
mundhraa fattak banaaee kaan ||
You make ear-rings of glass to wear in your ears.

ਮੁਕਤਿ ਨਹੀ ਬਿਦਿਆ ਬਿਗਿਆਨਿ ॥
mukath nehee bidhiaa bigiaan ||
But liberation does not come from learning without understanding.

ਜਿਹਵਾ ਇੰਦ੍ਰੀ ਸਾਦਿ ਲਭਾਨਾ ॥
jihavaa eindhree saadh luobhaanaa ||
You are lured by the tastes of the tongue and sex organs.

ਪਸੂ ਭਏ ਨਹੀ ਮਿਟੈ ਨੀਸਾਨਾ ॥੬॥
pasoo bheae nehee mittai neesaanaa ||6||
You have become a beast; this sign cannot be erased. ||6||

ਤ੍ਰਿਬਿਧਿ ਲੋਗਾ ਤ੍ਰਿਬਿਧਿ ਜੋਗਾ ॥
thribidhh logaa thribidhh jogaa ||
The people of the world are entangled in the three modes; the Yogis are entangled in the three modes.

ਸਬਦੁ ਵੀਚਾਰੈ ਚੂਕਸਿ ਸੋਗਾ ॥
sabadh veechaarai chookas sogaa ||
Contemplating the Word of the Shabad, sorrows are dispelled.

ਊਜਲੁ ਸਾਚੁ ਸੁ ਸਬਦੁ ਹੋਇ ॥
oojal saach s sabadh hoe ||
Through the Shabad, one becomes radiant, pure and truthful.

ਜੋਗੀ ਜੁਗਤਿ ਵੀਚਾਰੇ ਸੋਇ ॥੭॥
jogee jugath veechaarae soe ||7||
One who contemplates the true lifestyle is a Yogi. ||7||

ਤੁਝ ਪਹਿ ਨਉ ਨਿਧਿ ਤੂ ਕਰਣੈ ਜੋਗੁ ॥
thujh pehi no nidhh thoo karanai jog ||
The nine treasures are with You, Lord; You are potent, the Cause of causes.

ਥਾਪਿ ਉਥਾਪੇ ਕਰੇ ਸੁ ਹੋਗੁ ॥
thhaap outhhaapae karae s hog ||
You establish and disestablish; whatever You do, happens.

ਜਤੁ ਸਤੁ ਸੰਜਮੁ ਸਚੁ ਸੁਚੀਤੁ ॥
jath sath sanjam sach sucheeth ||
One who practices celibacy, chastity, self-control, truth and pure consciousness

ਨਾਨਕ ਜੋਗੀ ਤ੍ਰਿਭਵਣ ਮੀਤੁ ॥੮॥੨॥
naanak jogee thribhavan meeth ||8||2||
- O Nanak, that Yogi is the friend of the three worlds. ||8||2||

ਰਾਮਕਲੀ ਮਹਲਾ ੧ ॥
raamakalee mehalaa 1 ||
Raamkalee, First Mehl:

ਖਟੁ ਮਟੁ ਦੇਹੀ ਮਨੁ ਬੈਰਾਗੀ ॥
khatt matt dhaehee man bairaagee ||
Above the six chakras of the body dwells the detached mind.

ਸੁਰਤਿ ਸਬਦੁ ਧੁਨਿ ਅੰਤਰਿ ਜਾਗੀ ॥
surath sabadh dhhun anthar jaagee ||
Awareness of the vibration of the Word of the Shabad has been awakened deep within.

ਵਾਜੈ ਅਨਹਦੁ ਮੇਰਾ ਮਨੁ ਲੀਣਾ ॥
vaajai anehadh maeraa man leenaa ||
The unstruck melody of the sound current resonates and resounds within; my mind is attuned to it.

ਗੁਰ ਬਚਨੀ ਸਚਿ ਨਾਮਿ ਪਤੀਣਾ ॥੧॥
gur bachanee sach naam patheenaa ||1||
Through the Guru's Teachings, my faith is confirmed in the True Name. ||1||

ਪ੍ਰਾਣੀ ਰਾਮ ਭਗਤਿ ਸੁਖੁ ਪਾਈਐ ॥
praanee raam bhagath sukh paaeeai ||
O mortal, through devotion to the Lord, peace is obtained.

ਗੁਰਮੁਖਿ ਹਰਿ ਹਰਿ ਮੀਠਾ ਲਾਗੈ ਹਰਿ ਹਰਿ ਨਾਮਿ ਸਮਾਈਐ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥
guramukh har har meethaa laagai har har naam samaaeeai ||1|| rehaao ||
The Lord, Har, Har, seems sweet to the Gurmukh, who merges in the Name of the Lord, Har, Har. ||1||Pause||
~SGGS Ji p. 903

~Bhul chak maaf karni ji