Granthis in kundalini

Granthis – psychic knots or safety valves.

These lie along the path of sushumna nadi. Why might they exist?

Kundalini Tantra pg 117 “they represent levels of awareness where the power of maya, ignorance and attachment to material things is especially strong. Each aspirant must transcend these barriers to make a clear passageway for the ascending kundalini”.

Because is would be dangerous to raise energy up sushumna nadi too quickly, there are three psychic knots which stop energy passing through certain points. They are at the navel/perineum, the heart and the centre of the head.

1. Brahma Granthi – earthly bondage – perineum – at the region of mooladhara chakra. This knot must be released for kundalini to enter and ascend through sushumna nadi. It implies attachment to physical and sensual pleasures, material objects and excessive selfishness. Also the ensnaring power of tamas – negativity, lethary and ignorance.

2. Vishnu Granthi at the heart knot at the heart at anahata chakra. It is associated with the bondage of emotional attachment and attachment to people and inner psychic visions. Connected to the guna, rajas – passion, ambition and assertiveness. Even the urge to preach our version of spirituality is caused by this knot.
3. Rudra granthi (Shiva), located between the eyebrows at ajna chaka and the last blockage between send of ego and I-ness and connection to everything through saharara chakra - enlightenment. Can get attached here to siddhis (yogic powers), psychic phenomena and ego. This knot is rarely undone and only when the individual ego and duality are transcended.

As the kundalini rises, and yogic practices progress, the knots untie themselves when the practitioner is ready. The spiritual awakening of most religious figures follows a trajectory resembling this rise of kundalini. When this last knot is undone, one hits the bliss state, sublimating the petty self with the universal one. In yoga untying these knots is as important as rousing kundalini – the two must go hand in hand. The path has to be cleared or you will be lost, unable to reach the destination.