What Is Kali Yuga?

There is no doubt that the world has become increasingly darker and denser—more attached to sensory, egoic, and materialistic perception. The technological progress humanity has made is now being used in destructive ways that were unimaginable before; we’re continuously poisoning life, in obvious and hidden ways. This is because we’re reaching the end of a dark masculine cosmic cycle within a dark universal cycle as well.

Now, there’s much confusion and controversy about this universal cycle we’re undergoing, known as Kali Yuga, how it’s measured, how long it lasts, and so on, but this lack of clarity is an obvious feature of the cycle itself. When it comes to spiritual truths, I trust the enlightened masters I’ve had the privilege to meet, who say we are in Kali Yuga and still have a long ways to go, rather than self-proclaimed gurus and ‘experts’ on the web…

I’ve already explored the complex juncture of shifts I believe we’re currently experiencing and the confusion about this universal Dark Age (see Self-Ascension Into 5th Dimension and What Is the Age of Aquarius All About?), so now I’d like to share the main aspects of Kali Yuga and how you can navigate this bewildering period without getting completely lost in it and its intense egoic elements.

Kali or ‘darkness’ here refers to the age of the demon Kali and should not be confused with Goddess Kali, the slayer of ego; other meanings of kali as it relates to this demon are ‘quarrel,’ ‘discord,’ ‘strife,’ and the general sense of contention. So this is a time when war and struggle predominate, but the silver lining is that there is so much suffering during this period that just by being born you’re burning negative karma—previous actions and tendencies disconnecting you from Divine Consciousness.

Since Creation is a play of Consciousness, all the suffering your witness and experience is meant to bring you back to Consciousness. When you’re pushed to find a way out of pain, you seek and hold on to something greater than your pain, something that gives you hope and clarity for a better future. And as you do this, you gradually rediscover or reconnect to Divine Consciousness.

In time, you’re meant to realize that all suffering is a disconnection from Consciousness and that if you surrender the ego-mind that separates you from Consciousness to the spiritual forces within and around you, you’ll find true peace and happiness. But this is quite challenging in the Kali Yuga, since it’s the period furthest from Consciousness, where a lack of awareness and love predominates. In other words, the ego-mind (the demon Kali) rules and claims to be God.

The Vedic texts that give a vivid description of the Kali Yuga are the Mahabharata and the Shrimad Bhagavatam, but since the concepts used pertain to specific cultural standards and the way of life of ancient Hindus, let me summarize the overall features of this yuga in the light of our modern world.

Main Features of Kali Yuga

• People will not think twice before destroying nature;
• People will not discriminate between what they eat (i.e., they will eat anything) and indulge in excess eating.
• Rulers will not promote spirituality or protect their subjects; they will abuse their power and become a danger to the world.
• Rulers will use every means possible to steal the property of others.
• Fame, money and power will be the main goals of life.
• Celebrities and rich people will be viewed as nobility and able to steer justice in their favor.
• Those without money will be deprived of justice.
• Greed and wrath will pervade human relationships, and murder will be accepted as part of life.
• Excess taxation and unfairness will turn people into robbers; then one hand will steal from the other.
• Trade will be associated with deceit and greed.
• People pretending to be saints will indulge in trade and commercial activities.
• There will be a profusion of fake ‘holy men’ and the blind will lead the blind.
• Those with real spiritual and virtuous qualities will be rare and ignored.
• People will be addicted to meat and alcohol (and other stimulants) and weak in their spiritual pursuits.
• People will leave their own places seeking refuge in other countries.
• Sexual skill will be the standard for excellence in men and women.
• Lust will be socially acceptable and sexual intercourse the central recreation of life.
• Towards the end of Kali Yuga, the old will think like children and the young will have the intelligence of the old.
• At the end of Kali Yuga there will be unhappiness everywhere and no festivals will be celebrated.

How To Navigate Kali Yuga

A quick way to put this would be to say that during this dark cycle life is about money, power, and sensory gratification. Does this sound like the world we know? But Divine Consciousness is not linear, so this doesn’t mean that there’s darkness and ignorance and that’s it, or that we’re all doomed; there are many cosmic, planetary, and individual cycles within this universal one helping humanity discriminate between the choices leading to happiness and those creating further suffering.

Furthermore, you are an individual soul with a unique path, and as you experience things you learn, in your own time, to discern the truth from the illusions of ego. So even though we’re all really one and the same Consciousness, we each are able to follow a higher path of awareness and love at any point along our journey. Here are what I consider essential actions to counter the density and darkness of this yuga:

• Develop strong devotion to any form of the Divine and keep it in your thoughts.
• Become the cosmic child you truly are and trust your Divine Mother completely.
• Forgive yourself and others for any wrongdoings, willing or unwilling, conscious or unconscious.
• Choose LOVE over fear, guilt, judgment or hatred, regardless of what may be causing them.
• Develop detachment and make the decision to not get angry, no matter what.
• Nurture your soul with a spiritual practice and refuse to make life about money, power or sex.
• Stop being afraid of your pain and see it as your ally on your way back to Consciousness.
• Surrender to the path your soul is leading you through and accept all difficulties as stepping stones to help you grow.

When you accept life as it is, you open up to something greater than the limited perception of your ego-mind. When you accept your suffering, rather than trying to avoid or suppress it (with rationalizations or addictions), you stop blocking a deeper perception of yourself. And when you accept all of you—the good, the bad, and the ugly aspects—you surrender to the Divine the false identifications and self-images of the ego-mind that keep you trapped in fear, judgment, and guilt. This requires self-awareness and self-love, so contact me today to embark on a journey of self-exploration to develop spiritual freedom and transcend the darkness within and around you!

© 2018 Yol Swan. All rights reserved.