Swami Muktananda in his "Kundalini - The Secret of Life", a Siddha Yoga Publication, published by the SYDA foundation, 1994, describes shaktipat from the guru, as "when the guru directly transmits his own divine shakti to the disciple."
"The easiest and best method (of awakening, activating, and setting into operation the kundalini) is through shaktipat from the guru, when the guru directly transmits his own divine shakti to the disciple. It is the secret initiation of the greatest sages and has been passed on from guru to disciple from the beginning of time."
"After you receive shaktipat meditation starts spontaneously and at that time prana and apana the ongoing and outgoing breath become balanced and long kumbhaka retention of breath begins to take place effortlessly. The prana becomes extremely subtle and moves into the Sushumna and then the Sushumna opens up and begins to unfold. When kundalini awakening takes place through grace it will rise of its own accord and become established where it should be established. Kundalini will take care of herself... when the kundalini is awakened by the grace of the guru the grace itself will guide it in the correct manner. There is absolutely no danger in such a case."
"After the awakening of kundalini, meditation comes spontaneously. There is no need to center the mind because the kundalini herself grabs hold of the mind and centers it in whatever place she considers suitable."
Indeed I felt the pull of this energy that was so obvious felt on the top of my head and that drew my attention to it and brought my breath, now flowing freely to caress the spot. I could do nothing else at this moment initially. Slowly it went on as I went on with my limited daily activities.
"It is only after the body has been purified that the shakti can work with full force. The basis of all disease and pain is the impurities that block the flow of prana in the nadis. These blockages are caused by imbalances and disorders in the three bodily humors - wind, bile, and phlegm."
Now I realize how Agathiyar had worked hard on preparing my body for the eventually Shakti to be transmitted. He had me take his Agathiyar Kuzhambu and prepare another of his herbal cleansing formula to consume.
"She (kundalini) penetrates all 720 million nadis consumes all the old decaying fluids, then releases vital energy into them all. The nadis become filled with prana."
The excretions from all the openings in my body were smelly during this process as told by Agathiyar too. I thought my body was decaying from within. My stools were in different consistencies, shapes, and colors. Now that I know the reason for it, that old decaying fluids were being expelled, I am at peace.
"When the nadis are cleansed the mind is purified. The mind is intimately connected to the prana. To control the mind yogis try to control their breath. The prana and Apana become even and eventually, the breath begins to be retained within. This is called kumbhaka. In true kumbhaka the prana and Apana become one at that point. Prana does not go out nor does Apana come in. When the prana stops the mind becomes still and you experience supreme tranquility. Great beings are in this state of inner stillness."
Agathiyar eventually led us on to retain our breath recently, after many years of Pranayama.
"If one has awakened the kundalini through self-effort it is very difficult to lead it upward because right from the moment the kundalini is awakened until the moment it finally merges in the Sahasrara the seeker has to depend on yogic practices."
We are glad that Agathiyar was on hand and had a hand in awakening this super force in us without having to go through much pain and trouble. As he told me he had made it so simple that he could not simplify the process further, reminding me how he had to go through it the tough way, so did Tavayogi quip that I had come to the path quite easily compared with the rough journey he had. I am indeed blessed. I am deeply grateful to them.