One of the greatest values of the union of Kundalini and spiritual energies-Shakti and Shiva, female with male--is a deepened awareness of the cosmos. It takes a person out of the narrow, individualistic lifestyle so prevalent today. A peen who is refined and cleansed by the Kundalini and spiritual energies has much less desire to make life complicated and experiences a natural drive back to the basics of living more simply. The result is a richly content personal and inner life and less reliance upon material and social structures. People become more interested in empowering others, thus sharing power rather than taking all they can get.

In the past, most enlightened people were inclined to retreat from the world; the games of living had no meaning for them any longer. But the energies of the Aquarian Age have helped the enlightened take a more active part in the guidance of the human race through government, education, healing and other progress-oriented fields. The spiritual areas will continue to need the guidance of the enlightened, as the salvation of humankind depends on bringing a spiritual and cosmic awareness into all of life. With a cosmic understanding of life and balance, there would need be no air, water, or earth pollution, nor destructive activity in general.

Need for Adequate Education

Kundalini awakening is not a "gimmick." It is not the latest fad or something in which only strange people in isolated retreat centers "indulge." It should be researched and studied by all, so that the best use of Kundalini energy and awakening is understood and open to everyone. It is imperative that people familiarize themselves with this power. It is also imperative that some people be trained in Kundalini therapy; there is already a need for this. Too much of today's counseling is for the effect of the problem and not the cause. Improper energy flow is the cause of many emotional and mental problems. Neurotic or psychotic behavior is the effect. When people are trained to develop more viable energy patterns and flows, they can avoid getting caught in emotional and mental conflicts.

Children now receive physical education in schools; health checkups are required and counseling is, many times, provided as need arises. But the Kundalini approach has more to do with total training and education for life. Kundalini checkups would be a valuable part of a child's education. Specialists, trained in a knowledge of where the Kundalini is blocked or concentrated in a person, could spot potential criminals, potential sexual perverts and others with unhealthy outlooks on life, and suggest therapy early on.

Kundalini tests could also indicate the child who is a potential genius, or the one who appears retarded but is actually held back by blocked energies. Periodic checks or tests could determine if a child was making the best use of the energy in terms of its direction and flow.

At this point, the possibilities of Kundalini tests and therapy as aids to growth and development of our children can only be imagined. The opportunities seem tremendous. Methods would have to be developed and people would have to be trained in their use. It would probably be through private schools or private practice that such Kundalini therapy first becomes available. Many criminals, seemingly otherwise well-adjusted, have stated they do not know why they did what they did. Energy that has been concentrated or blocked for too long a time tends to "explode," much as a pressure cooker would explode if there were no release. When this energy gets out of control it can take over, increase any kind of feeling or thought, perhaps even causing a person to be temporarily insane.

There are people whose long-term mental problems were caused by improper Kundalini flow, people who could be cured by Kundalini therapy with a qualified Kundalini therapist.

Retreat or Involvement

In India and other countries it has been the practice of people interested in the development of Kundalini to leave the daily life of family, friends and work and enter an ashram or temple. They retreat from life as they know it and begin a new life where the atmosphere is conducive to growth, with people who have similar goals to guide them. But in the Aquarian Age and in this country things are very different. Very few people can afford flee luxury of setting themselves apart for study when the maser urge arises. Those who do feel a need to retreat may not want their families to suffer the hardship their leaving would cause. It is a time in our human history when people should, in most cases, continue with their daily lives as a part of society, but still work on inner growth. This is much more difficult in some ways; in others it is much more rewarding, as growth and development then become a part of a total life. There will still be those who are able to separate themselves from society and work on their growth. Re-entry into society is not particularly easy for them; they may experience a total break with society as they knew it.

There will be more centers and retreat areas available to provide Kundalini therapy and education for shorter periods of time. It will be a part of our new growth field, a field that has become a very important part of our culture.

Regardless of how you choose to work with your Kundalini, you must always remember that the responsibility for it remains yours. You cannot delegate the responsibility to a guru or leader. It is wise to learn from others, but foolish to give up responsibility for yourself.

We Are Not Alone

While most of the benefits of Kundalini work discussed in this book have been related to the individual, the individual is not the only benefactor. Society and the world benefit by each individual's growth, no matter how small or great. As one person grows, so do others; as one person blocks growth, so are others held back. If enough specks of dirt are put into a pail of clean water, mud will result. The same is true of negativity: the more negativity introduced into life, no matter what the sources, the muddier life will become. But the more enlightenment that occurs in the world, the more we will each see clearly and thus increase our own enlightenment.

No one is alone in growth. Nor is the world alone. What happens on this earth causes energy of different manifestations to reach out into the cosmos.

People talk about peace without really understanding what it can be. It is not just the absence of war or disagreements. More truthfully, it is allowing the cosmic flow of the Creator �o flow through everyone, working for total harmony and joy. It is possible to have inner peace during war, disagreements or other tragedies of life. The more that people have inner peace, the more harmoniously they will settle disputes. This is one of the gifts of the union of the energies-inner peace.

Conclusion