Shaktipat or Śaktipāta is a Sanskrit word in the Indian spiritual tradition that refers to the act of the spiritual energy of kundalini being conferred on a disciple or student, by a guru or spiritual teacher in whom it is already active. Śakti translates as spiritual energy and “pāta” as descent(to fall down). Shaktipat can be intermediated by the spiritually enlightened master either by transmission of sacred word or mantra, look, a thought or by touch. The touch is usually given to the ajna or third eye of the disciple. Shaktipat can be transmitted in person or at a distance, through an object such as a flower or fruit, or via telephone or letter.
I received Shaktipat on Saturday November 7th 2009 and it was quite an experience. Why, you might ask, would somebody want to do this? As a revered teacher of the esoteric once told me, the further up the mountain you go, the fewer people there are to talk to. By that I was led to understand that the path followed in this direction would teach me things that could not easily be shared with my peers and companions. The gradual and systematic opening of the chakras all the way up to the brow chakra would initiate an awakening of consciousness that would leave all acquired learning in the dust, and require a complete and utter reconsideration of all knowledge and values. In Los Angeles? Hmmm….
In my first year of acupuncture school on of the electives on offer was to go on a “ropes” course up by Big Bear lake. It was a team-building experience and gave us the chance to bond and overcome some of our own self-imposed limitations. One exercise demanded that we climb about twenty feet up a rope ladder to a platform on a tree and, safely harnessed in, we had to jump to grab a trapeze that was hanging just out reach. We were encouraged to state an intention to focus on that would motivate us to act counter-intuitively and leap through the air and “save” ourselves. I recall my intention being to communicate directly with the “source” or divine energy.
In 1997 I joined the Self Realization Fellowship and followed their two year educational course in Rajah Yoga and learned how to meditate. At that point I became initiated as a “Kriyaban,” someone who is taught Kriya yoga in order to accelerate their karma and burn through life’s obstacles. It participated with gusto, and sought to attain samadhi, or a non-dualistic state of consciousness in which the consciousness of the experiencing subject becomes one with the experienced object, and in which the mind becomes still though the practitioner remains conscious. My adventures and misadventures in the physical world caused me to put my practice on the back burner, but it has always been a deep desire to reestablish my focus on spiritual transcendence, whether through energy practice (Reiki, Tai Qi, Qi Gong) or through meditation.
In answer to my earlier question (why would somebody want to do this?), I have chosen to plunge deeper into Asian medicine and want to be able to see the acupuncture points, the human energy system, and learn how to manipulate energy in order to more expediently facilitate healing. In order to achieve this, I have been fortunate enough to manifest the people in my life to help me do this. In Los Angeles in 2010 we have access to amazing tools and technology. That’s where a certain individual called Geoffrey happened into Evolve Wellness one day…