Part 1VPHYsioloGY oF KUnDalini
tHe nerVoUs sYstem
More than half of the estimated 100,000 genes in human DNA seem to be
dedicated to building and maintaining the nervous system. Within the brain,
the autonomic nervous system regulates and adjusts baseline body function and
responds to external stimuli. It consists of two mutually inhibitory subsystems:
those nerves which activate tissues— the sympathetic or arousal system, and
those which slow structures down for rest and repair—the parasympathetic or
quiescent system. The sympathetic is ergotropic that is releases energy, and the
parasympathetic is trophotropic, that is conserving energy. The two sides of our
autonomic system reflect the two main processes in life “growth” or “protection.”
These two mechanisms cannot operate optimally at the same time. Consider that
our nervous system is either wired for eating (parasympathetic) or for running
away from being eaten ourselves (sympathetic). So the two systems generally act in
opposition to each other; yet where dual control of an organ exists, both systems
operate simultaneously although one maybe operating at a higher level of activity
than the other.
Energy expended in fueling defense takes it way from the process of growth. The
consequent inhibition of growth reduces energy generation. The Hypothalamus-
Pituitary-Adrenal Axis mobilizes defense against threat and when it is not activated
growth flourishes. Hence chronic stress is enervating and debilitating. Thus we can
see that children who grow up in stressful homes are deprived in cellular nutrition
and growth, in cellular energy generation itself and consequently in mental-
emotional-social development. Adrenal hormones constrict blood flow to the
forebrain and stress hormones repress the prefrontal cortex activity, thus diverting
energy and consciousness to the hind-brain survival faculties. The hyperactivity of
the HPA axis and sympathetic nervous system is perhaps one of the reasons why
high kundalini activity can make us dumb, that and the excessive production of
opiates of course.
sYmPatHetic
The arousal system is the source of our fight-or-flight response, and is
connected to the adrenal glands, the amygdala. The dominant (analytical) mind is
connected to the arousal system and reaches into our left cerebral hemisphere. It
is sometimes called the “ergotropic” system because it releases energy in the body
to react to the environment. The sympathetic system comprises of paravertebral
sympathetic trunks which run up the front side of the spine from the cranial base
to the coccyx. Sympathetic nerves run mostly from the thoracic and lumbar region
and are longer and less direct than the parasympathetic nerves thus their effect
is more diffuse. Instead of separate ganglion for each vertebrae certain segments
collect together to form a single large ganglion eg: the cervical ganglion in the neck