Muse

Shakti, and her partner Shiva, are synergistic energies which lie both within and outside of us. Shakti is an upward moving energy full of the power to create. Shiva, a downward moving energy, is consciousness manifested. Shakti is the energy of potentiality, Shiva provides form for that which emerges out of divine consciousness. When we learn how to allow these energies to work together, we are on the path towards a greater sense of wholeness and integration with our souls/higher selves and the divine.

If we can't contain and ground Shakti we will not provide a container for Shiva to become rooted in our personal consciousness. In other words, if your practice is only about moving energy upwards, you will not be inhabiting your lower chakras in a way that allows you to manifest the power and creative forces of Spirit.

I come to the subject of Shakti and its power from my experience as a hungry and at times desperate seeker. What was I looking for? I sought what so many spiritual aspirants seek: wisdom, the experience of oneness, and the desire for elevated states of consciousness. But what I was really looking for was emotional healing and peace of mind. I have started this writing project to share my experiences. I am a work in progress, and make no claims to truth, absolute knowledge, or wisdom. I learn through my experience and by sharing it with others, and what I "know" is constantly shifting.

As a psychologist practicing traditional psychotherapy, I always thought something was missing from the healing process of talk therapy. For anyone with a history of trauma (sexual, physical, or emotional), the therapy process often reveals an emotional and cognitive pattern that can be resistant to change. The body, the mind, and the heart get stuck in a pattern that is negative and self-defeating. Shifting this pattern can be extremely difficult and frustrating. 

Intuitively, I thought energy healing would help. I understood that the stuck emotions, cognitions, and physical reactions were energies that needed unsticking. Energy healing seemed like a good way to help release the relentless torture of the traumatized heart and mind. What I came to discover, however, is that working with energy can cause potent shifts--not all of which are pleasant.

Certain spiritual practices can be very powerful. If you are unprepared, uncontained (meaning too open energetically), and ungrounded, Shakti can take you on a hair-raising ride. There are many practices (such as specific types of yogic breathing and Kundalini Yoga) which intentionally raise Kundalini (an aspect of Shakti), and can inadvertently stir the fires of transformation too quickly. In my case, the combination of a Transcendental Meditation practice and receiving lots of energy healing triggered the rise of Kundalini in a way that was extremely uncomfortable. 

Everyone has different responses to Shakti. Many seekers have never experienced the fire of Kundalini pulsing through their body no matter how much breathing, sitting or yoga practice they do. Others have an easier time of it as the Kundalini slowly awakens in a way that can be assimilated. For me, the energy was way too much. My nervous system seemed to be in a state of "fight or flight" much of the time. I couldn't sleep at night, I couldn't focus my mind or remember things, and, ultimately, my body broke down from exhaustion. Those like myself, who experience these "spiritual emergencies" (see the Spiritual Emergence Network) can suffer tremendously. It isn't my intention to suggest that these kinds of experiences can be completely avoided. Rather, I hope to provide suggestions for managing the process of spiritual transformation in a gentler, saner way. Looking back, I know I had to go through all of this for a variety of reasons and I wouldn't change a thing. However, much could have been avoided with proper energy hygiene and the guidance of a skilled healer. 

So what have I learned from all of this?

1. Healing yourself isn't a competitive sport. There is no finish line and no hurry to get to the end of the race. 
2. Everyone responds differently to energy healing or other spiritual practices. Listen to yourself and what you need. 
3. Find a healer who will teach you good energy hygiene and practical skills for managing your healing process. There may be times when you need both a therapist and an energy healer. 
4. Learn how to completely inhabit your body. Many find it too painful to be fully present with the physical experience.
5. Learn how to ground. This is incredibly important in terms of integrating healing energies and being fully functional, both cognitively and emotionally. 
6. Learn how to be less energetically open. We keep hearing that we need to be more open. A wide-open energy field creates a superabsorbent sponge for all types of energies to move into. 
7. Finally, learn how to have fun! 

Be Well,

Rebecca