Hi Swami, I have been practicing meditation for more than 3 years now. I start receiving kundalini awakening symptoms like heat in the spine, tingling sensation in the chakras, and sometimes seeing flittering. But the worst thing which has happened to me is that I now hate people who are morally not good. So I lost most of my friends but didn’t feel bad about it. Even at the office now, I am not going with groups for lunch in order to keep away from gossiping. Swami, is it common, or something happening only to me?
—sreeni VK, UAE
Dear Sreeni, Growing to hate people who are not morally good is not a sign of kundalini awakening. When the kundalini is awakened in the right way and energy rises upward through all the chakras, the heart chakra especially begins to become purified and to expand itself to allow us to feel everyone and everything to be a part of ourselves.
Then we don’t have to force ourselves to love everyone—it just happens, because our consciousness expands to embrace all, including even those who are “not morally good.” The truth is that everyone is our brother and sister in God. People can (and do!) behave badly, but that is just their superficial actions. Their behavior does not define who and what they really are. They too are children of God, just as we all are!
We don’t need to approve their negative behavior, but we do need to work on relating more to their essential natures, which is Divine Light, although that light may be temporarily covered up. Love them, pray for them, and feel their goodness, which is always there, even if it is buried deeply and can’t be expressed outwardly right now. Have compassion!
When you work on cultivating this important attitude quietly and prayerfully, then you may find yourself amazed to see that there really is good (and God’s presence) in everyone!
Meditating yogis often find that they need to remain more inward, especially when they are among people who do not understand their lifestyle or practices. This is natural. On the other hand, when they find they must be with worldly people, then they don’t act “stand-off-ish” or weird in any way. Rather they remain friendly, but quiet and centered, inwardly praying for the spiritual upliftment of everyone whom they meet. You might try this. It is definitely a worthy practice!
