Theos-Talk Archives (April 1995 Message tl00137)

IXCHEL@delphi.com writes:

> Often I have read, in many source books from different
> authors, the admonition to students to refrain from
> the practice of Hatha Yoga. It is my opinion that
> this discouragement is outdated, as the exercises
> in the average Hatha Yoga class, taught all over the
> world today, are nowhere near the extreme postures
> that HPB and HSO witnessed in India.

I believe that there is nothing intrinsically wrong with the
practice of Hatha Yoga, as long as one restricts the practice to
the postures and the simpler breathing techniques.  When one goes
beyond this into performing kriyas and advanced pranayama, then
the possibility exists of activating kundalini before the
personality has a chance to integrate and manage the associated
experiences.

All of the sources I have studied indicate that such practices
(especially those concerned with raising kundalini) should only
be practiced under the close supervision of a competent teacher,
and only then if the aspirant has eliminated all traces of
selfishness or self-importance.

I'm not suggesting that such practices can't be used without
moral development, merely that such a course of action is likely
to be extremely unwise and productive of some highly educative
karma.  On a personal note, I'm avoiding such practices until I
can reach some improved state of personality integration.

Paul G.