The Breath of Life: Kundalini & Sahaja Yoga in World Traditions and Cultures

Christian Sources

Spiritus Sanctus, the Holy Breath

In Latin translations we find the term ‘Spiritus Sanctus' for the original ROEACH and for PNEUMA. The literal meaning of Spiritus Sanctus is Holy Breathing, or just Holy Breath. Correct translation would be Holy Breath, Holy Spirit, or Holy Breeze. Holy Ghost is incorrect as translation.

Pneuma, Greek for Breath of life

Painting by El Greco, depicting Kundalini as a tongue of fire on top of the skullIn the New Testament the Greek word for God and His manifestation is ‘PNEUMA', which also means literally BREATH of WIND. Correct translation is again ‘Breath', “breeze' or eventually spirit.

A Painting by El Greco (on the right), ca. 1600 depicts the apostles receiving the holy spirit. To the apostles, the Spirit descended ‘into' the top of the head. This is depicted as a ‘tongue of fire' on top of the skull.

Acts 2:17

“And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place.  And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting.  And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them.  And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit (breath), and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.”

John 3:3-8

“Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born again when he is old? Can he enter the second time into his mother's womb, and be born? Jesus answered: Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man born of water and the Spirit (breath), He cannot enter into the Kingdom of God . That which is born of flesh is flesh and that which is born of Spirit is Spirit, Marvel not that I said unto thee: Ye must be born again. The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, But cannot tell whence it comes and where it goeth: So is every one that is born of the Spirit.”

Levi Dowling in ‘The Aquarian Gospel Of Jesus Christ'

An essential aspect of this text is that it does not speak about the Holy Ghost but only about the Holy Breath. Moreover, here the Breath equals God the Mother. Therefore it is a ‘She'.

The Holy Breath is here a feminine, motherly force or energy. Here are just a few references:

“Before the worlds were formed all things were One; just Spirit, Universal Breath… God the Father is the power of heaven and earth; and God the Mother is the Holy Breath, the thought of heaven and earth.”

“His name is John. He will be honored in the sight of God, and he will drink no wine, and from his birth he will be filled with Holy Breath.”

“Jesus bathes forever in the living waters of the Holy Breath… Jesus had the consciousness of the Holy Breath… These things I speak while with you in the flesh but when the Holy Breath shall come in power lo She will teach you more and more and bring to your remembrance all the words that I have said to you. There are a multitude of things yet to be said; things that this age cannot receive because it cannot comprehend. But lo I say before the great day of the Lord shall come the Holy Breath will make all mysteries known. The mysteries of the soul of life of death of immortality; the oneness of a man with every other man and with his God.”

[Levi Dowling (1844-1911) in ‘The AQUARIAN GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST', 10th edition, 1985]