All of us have heard the story of Adam and Eve from the Bible, but how many of us really understand the true teaching behind this parable? 

The “tree of life” represents the human body, Adam represents the masculine energy in our bodies (yang in Chinese Theory) and Eve represents the feminine energy in our bodies (yin in Chinese theory). The snake or serpent represents the sexual/life-force energy inside our bodies (known as “Kundalini” in Yoga, which is also represented as a snake or serpent).

The teaching behind this story is that through proper control—and by control, I do not mean suppression of our sexual/life-force energy—we can become a fully liberated human being and live in a state of complete bliss, i.e. the “Garden of Eden”, like a Jesus, a Buddha or any of the thousands and thousands of other not so well-known saints.

However, as the story goes, Adam (male aspect) was tempted by Eve (female aspect) to taste the forbidden apple, i.e. his own sexual energy. By wasting his own sexual energy, he (humanity) was led on a downward slide, i.e. banished from the Garden of Eden. This parable indicates that the unwise expression of our sexual energy is very detrimental to our well-being, and causes a lot of unhappiness in the world. Wasting our sexual energy means that we can never live in paradise (Garden of Eden), i.e. we can never live in the blissful state experienced by a Jesus or a Buddha.

On the other hand, this story is also the key to our liberation. But unfortunately, not many religious leaders understand this, and if they do, they will probably not share this information. Why? Because it will give the power back to the individuals where it belongs and the organized religions will no longer be required. Yes, they will be out of a job and there will be some prime real estate up for sale!

Adam & Eve and Yoga

Yoga is a scientific, practical and experiential approach towards man’s happiness and well-being that has been proven over a five thousand-year history (that we know of). Yogis believe that most of our unhappiness is created by too much “thinking” or “incorrect thinking” which leads to wasting sexual/life-force energy. Too much thinking causes too much stimulation of the Ida and Pingala nadis, and too much stimulation of the Ida and Pingala nadis (caused by emotional imbalance) causes too much thinking, which in turn creates an even busier and more unbalanced mind.

This vicious cycle of thinking-stimulation-thinking becomes self-perpetuating, dragging the individual down physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually. In order to break this harmful downward spiral, Yogis use a combination of dietary adjustments, physical postures, breathing techniques and creative visualizations to slow down the movement of energy through the Ida (female) and Pingala (male) Nadis. As the energy in these two nadis slows down and stabilizes, the mind becomes quieter and the excess (sexual/life-force) energy that was previously wasted in the unwise expression of sexual energy and in useless mind chatter now becomes “stored” within the body.

The “storage” occurs at the triangular bone at the base of the spine—the sacrum. It is interesting that we in the West use the term “sacrum” to represent this area of the body because sacrum etymologically means “sacred” and this area of the body is the seat of the organs of procreation i.e. the home of our sexual energy; suggesting that our forefathers were well aware of the sacredness of our sexual energy.

With continued regulation of sexual energy, together with the purification (balancing) of the Ida and Pingala nadis using Yoga practices, the “dormant (balanced) serpent (sexual/life-force) energy” stored at the sacrum will enter the Sushumna at the base of the spine and with ongoing (Yoga) practices the energy will rise up the Sushumna nadi to meet the Sahasrara (Crown Chakra) at the top of the head.

When this happens, the Yogi becomes a fully liberated human being—enlightened, Self-realized, living in a state of complete inner peace and bliss, i.e. living in the Garden of Eden! This state is represented in the previous illustration by the wings sprouting from the centre at the top of the head.

The similarities in these two illustrations above are amazing, and yet, in organized religion, the power is always given to something outside of the individual when in fact the power has always been there, right within us the whole time.

What is also interesting is that many medical associations around the world also use the same symbol.

The Caduceus—the Secret to Perfect Health

Most people have seen the Caduceus—yesterday, I saw one on the window of an ambulance. Why is the Caduceus used as a symbol for medical care? The Caduceus is not only the symbolic secret to our spiritual liberation as I have already explained, but is also the symbolic secret to perfect health.

Balancing the energy in the Ida and Pingala Nadis using Yoga techniques leads the energy flow into the Sushumna, creating balance in the central nervous system. Balance in the central nervous system (brain and spinal cord) leads to the correct functioning of the peripheral nervous system (cranial and peripheral nerves), which then creates balance in the somatic nervous system (voluntary movement) and autonomic nervous systems (involuntary movements such as cardiovascular, digestion, reproduction, etc.). Having achieved balance in the autonomic nervous system means that we will have the correct functioning of the sympathetic nervous system (fight or flight response) and parasympathetic nervous system (regulating internal organs and glands), resulting in perfect pathological health!

Of course, no one in the medical or pharmaceutical industries, if they actually understand this, will ever tell you because again, if they did, they too, like the preachers, would be out of a job.

And by now it should not surprise you that the composition of our DNA is a double helix. Have a look at the diagram below.

Is it not spooky at how closely it represents the model Yogis gave us for our spiritual liberation thousands of years ago? Thoth, the “keeper of the records” in Egyptian times dating back to 10,000 years ago, who is claimed to have written the Emerald Tablets (oldest known spiritual teachings), stated the universal law… “As above, so it is below” meaning that the microcosm represents the macrocosm and vice versa. Here we have the symbolism of Adam and Eve as the key to our spiritual liberation and perfect health being an identical “symbol” of our DNA. Thoth could not have been more correct.

There is no power outside of you that can make you happy or unhappy, healthy or unhealthy—all the power and all the answers reside inside you.

Sure, it takes dedication and regular practice to achieve inner peace and perfect physical health, but what is the alternative?

Photo credits: The Yoga Revolution

The Yoga Revolution: Bridging the gap between spiritualism and materialism by Rohan James to be released April 2012, Global Publishing Group.

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Prepared by Soumyajeet Chattaraj/Edited by Tanya L. Markul

Rohan James is a world-leading Yoga Vedanta Expert, Teacher, International Author and Life Direction Coach. He is certified in Yoga Teaching, Shamanic Healing Techniques, Hawaiian Lomilomi Massage, Kahi Loa Energetic Healing, Counselling and Reiki. Following a professional golf career and curing himself of adrenal exhaustion using Yoga and Qi Gong techniques, Rohan has, for the past two decades, taught internationally, speaking to and motivating thousands of people such as CEOs, individuals, sports teams and celebrities in countries around the world on how to create inner peace and radiant health as well as personal and financial success. Rohan’s appearances on television programs and in newspapers and magazines, nationally and internationally, have made him a sought-after mentor and consultant on the international stage. He lives stress-free on the beach in Queensland, Australia with his beautiful girlfriend and dog Zak. When not engaged in his life’s purpose, you will find him enjoying time with family and friends or surfing.

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