Living with THE NEW NORMAL

I'd like to introduce myself to the readers. My name is Vivek Govekar. I am 38. I live in Cary, NC. I had a spontaneous kundalini awakening in 2006 and have been living with this amazing force ever since. It was only after a few years of dealing with the changes brought about by the awakening of this force in my body that I have been able to return to 'normal' (if one can ever go back to one's old self after this occurs). Around 2009, I stumbled upon JJ Semple's blog and was glad to find another person that had gone through the same ordeal as myself. At that point, I was grasping for answers and finding ways to adjust to the world with my new reality. It has been a surreal journey but one with many benefits and definitely worth the trials and tribulations for the insights I have gained and for how it has changed me as a person.

I am still dealing with the changes brought about by kundalini but it gets easier once the 'is this for real?' aspect of it subsides a little bit and this becomes your new normal, your new reality. Getting to this point, over 6 years involved almost complete isolation from the outside world, changes in diet, lots of meditation, lots of music and finding methods, through trial and error that would work on my condition to get me some relief from my back pain and the enormous amount of trauma churned up by the energy moving up and down my spine. Those familiar with JJ's blogs may know that kundalini is the manifestation of the primal spirit within us all. This energy lays dormant at the bottom of our spine and through practices such as those described in 'The backward flowing method' or through shaktipat, can be awakened. Once awakened, the energy takes over and the individual can assist in its safe passage by surrendering to the flow, allowing it to go about it's business, cleansing the psyche of past trauma, repressed memories and other karmic baggage that prevents us from achieving our true potential.

It is this transition from an average guy to recipient of divine grace that is usually a harrowing experience, especially for a novice, previously clueless about all things spiritual who has suddenly received this gift. My journey was a cross between 'Alice in Wonderland' and 'The Matrix'. I was waking up to my higher self the deeper I went down the rabbit hole. These analogies don't really do it justice, although I now identify with a lot of the hidden metaphors in a lot of tales and understand the disorientation and terror felt by the protagonists of those stories. At every stage of this process, one awakens to the reality that has always been hidden in plain sight. Our mundane existences and distractions we have created, the internet, television and the established status quo of 'how things are' keep the deeper reality hidden from us. We all have the potential of becoming enlightened buddhas not because the gift could be given to us someday, but because it is our inherent nature and we already possess the gift but have forgotten it, lulled ourselves into a deep slumber and travel through life in a somnambulist stupor.

Our greatest abilities and talents lie dormant, often neglected by us in an attempt to conform and adapt to the demands placed on us. Finding a job, being part of the rat race, while important for making a living, carried to excess, lead us away from our calling, what we were meant to be. Each illness, every neurosis and malady that we face in modern life can be traced back to the excessive demands on the body and mind by man. Our excesses lead to imbalances. We eat a bad diet, lack exercise and worry ourselves to death, quite literally. The statistics show an increase in the risk of stroke, an obesity epidemic, abuse of prescription drugs, especially opium derivatives masked as pain pills. Our minds and bodies rebel at this abuse and constantly warn us. Every headache, episode of heartburn, constipation or panic attack is a wake up call, often ignored or treated with more pills that a morally bankrupt, for-profit medical establishment is eager to provide. The one-a-day pill for lifetime is the big pharma cash cow that helps their bottom line not your health.

Meditation, a healthy diet and moderate exercise can do a lot more for the individual than the abuse of pills. Let me add that I am, by training, a pharmacist and also a research scientist and don't wish to vilify all modern medicines, but only object to the 'for-profit' method of sales-driven application of the current medical therapies available to us. Used when needed, for healing, all chemicals have a place in society. But when was the last time a doctor told you to change your diet and made sure you exercised? The system is setup for the recurring 'one-a-day' pill model. No one needs to take a pill a day to relieve heartburn. Changing your eating habits and getting some exercise is a much easier option.

Well, this was my introduction. I intend to write more often on this forum and on the other blogs related to kundalini and spirituality. Keep meditating!