Jed McKenna, Ramana Maharshi, U.G. Krishnamurti, and Kundalini Shakti

Question: Hi Brent. So I’ve been revisiting Jed Mckenna’s work and I’m having trouble reconciling his message as it seems contradictory to teachings regarding Kundalini awakening and heart awakening.

He mentions that the path to enlightenment is not about heart, mystical experiences, or anything related to divinity or faith in it, rather it is ruthless disengaging from and questioning of life that leads to realization of truth.

If one were to take this path, it would seem incompatible and even antagonistic towards the process of Kundalini awakening, as it would mean questioning the existence and reality of this divine energy. He equates truth-realization to be a fully mind-based awakening from the illusion that is the world. This would also mean awakening from everything, including the heart, love, and ultimately what we may consider divine.

Listening to what he says may even lead one to conclude that Kundalini awakening is an illusion, another ride in the amusement park of Maya. Despite deeply appreciating his no nonsense approach and the sense of clear-cut finality in his message, I am confused.

Could it be that Jed Mckenna’s teachings are incomplete? Or is it largely a misinterpretation from my end? If so, what value could his message be for one who is undergoing Kundalini awakening who not only believes in the divine but also experiences it?

There are many paths. Jed McKenna, whose work I have benefited immensely from, approaches enlightenment from the path that most closely resembles that of Jnana Yoga, or the Path of Knowledge. His methods revolve around inquiry with the aim of attaining knowledge of what’s True. This can be considered awakening to Truth on the level of the mind. 

In this approach, the heart, the body, and Kundalini Shakti appear to be out of the question entirely. This sort of approach is common within non-duality, some schools of Zen and Neo-Advaita.

This approach is incomplete. However, it is not ineffective, because the fact is that once the mind is awakened to Truth via means of inquiry, the Heart and Kundalini will naturally begin to awaken as a result. 

One can sit with discipline and a strong will and inquire into the nature of reality and come to certain realizations and conclusions. One can use the mind to awaken out of mind. However, one cannot use the mind to awaken the Heart or Kundalini Shakti. The Heart and Kundalini Shakti have their own intelligence that is far beyond the mind. They awaken on their own once the mind is out of the way.

For this reason, there are certain teachings that encourage mind-level awakening through inquiry without mention of the Heart or Kundalini Shakti. Simply put, the general instructions are: “Inquire and forget about everything else.”

Ramana Maharshi, the great Indian saint whom almost everyone within this field can acknowledge was a fully Self-Realized master, experienced the awakening of Kundalini Shakti.

McKenna himself praises Maharshi, while also dismissing Kundalini Shakti. I find this rather interesting. Many within this field of non-duality today make certain claims either about their own realization or the unimportance of Kundalini Shakti without actually recognizing that their favourite saint was transformed by the Kundalini Shakti very early on in his path.

U.G. Krishnamurti, another master whom McKenna quotes extensively in his second book, also underwent what is clearly the transformation of Kundalini Shakti. In U.G. Krishnamurti’s book, The Mystique of Enlightenment, it is written:

“That is why I say that when this ‘explosion’ takes place (I use the word 'explosion’ because it’s like a nuclear explosion) it leaves behind chain- reactions. Every cell in your body, the cells in the very marrow of your bones, have to undergo this 'change’ – I don’t want to use that word – it’s an irreversible change. There’s no question of your going back. there’s no question of a 'fall’ for this man at all. Irreversible: an alchemy of some sort.

It is like a nuclear explosion, you see – it shatters the whole body. It is not an easy thing; it is the end of the man – such a shattering thing that it blasts every cell, every nerve in your body. I went through terrible physical torture at that moment. Not that you experience the 'explosion’; you can’t experience the 'explosion’ – but it’s after-effects, the 'fall-out’, is the thing that changes the whole chemistry of your body.”

Obviously, U.G. Krishnamurti is sharing here about a physiological transformation that he underwent which was directly linked to his realization. McKenna may refute matters relating to the body by merely dismissing everything as illusory or maya on one hand. But on the other hand, the people that he stands behind do not. 

Check out this question and answer with Maharshi –

“Question : How to churn up the nadis [psychic nerves] so that the Kundalini may go up the sushumna?

Ramana Maharshi : Though the yogi may have his methods of breath control for this object, the jnani’s method is only that of enquiry. When by this method the mind is merged in the Self, the Shakti or Kundalini, which is not apart from the Self, rises automatically.”

Considering that this is coming from Maharshi himself, I feel that this explains this topic quite clearly. Those on the path of Jnana Yoga or the Path of Knowledge do not concern themselves with anything other than inquiry. When inquiry has been properly completed, Kundalini Shakti will in fact begin to transform the entire system, on its own. 

This has been the case for me. I came into all of this via the path of inquiry and Jed McKenna’s work spoke to me very deeply. I was awakened on the level of the mind, I knew what was true, I had realized the Self. And then years later, my Heart began to throb with emotion, Love and Bliss and finally Kundalini Shakti awakened within me. 

I did nothing to provoke this awakening and physiological transformation directly. I simply abided as the Self and it happened automatically, just like what Maharshi said. Following this transformation, my realization has deepened far beyond anything teachers like McKenna have ever described. 

Either Jed McKenna, at the time of writing his books, did not undergo the awakening of Kundalini Shakti at all or he did but chose to simply dodge mentioning it all together to avoid confusing people. In my opinion, the former is likely the case.

For some on the path, the matters of Kundalini Shakti and the Heart may not concern them right now. They must simply focus on inquiry and awaken on the level of the mind. I was this way. I dismissed everything to do with the world and body as irrelevant. This dismissal served me at the early stages of my awakening. 

But today, I consider myself a devotee of the Kundalini Shakti, fully grounded within the body and operating from a state of Heart-centered consciousness.

For you now, because this is a topic you are asking sincerely about, you must incorporate your surrender to the Divine Kundalini Shakti within your practice. You’ve come too far in the Grace of Kundalini Shakti to now go back and dismiss it as illusion. My advice to you from this point forward is to travel only with those teachers that are knowledgeable and experienced with Kundalini Shakti.

---