I write this post in response to a query (thank you ducky) about kundalini awakening, its process, and indications and resolution, during which I hope to give a more technical yet understandable synopsis than any I have written thus far.
What is Kundalini?
Kundalini is technically speaking the compression of bio-energy in the base of the spine beneath the lower knot. This energy is sometimes referred to as the coiled snake. As Kundalini is compressed energy, when it is rising or has risen it is technically no longer compressed therefore not actually kundalini any more, however common usage has labelled all energy associated with the compression and storage, and arising of energy from the lower storage centre through the three main channels (Ida, Pingalla and sushumna) as kundalini therefore I will continue to refer to this energy as such.
The lower knot, the knot of Brahma is opened at birth to allow conscious energy access to the material world, the material chakras, and the primal material consciousness. With this in mind it is apparent that all human beings are in deed awakened (energetically speaking). The key difference between joe average and people who experience the symptoms of kundalini awakening, is that the former has undergone no spiritual development and therefore have not put any pressure on the flow of energy. This causes energy to trickle by the easiest route through the bio-energetic system, avoiding blockages and restrictions.
How does it awaken further?
Any form of spiritual development (physical, mental or energetic) creates an increased uptake of bio-energy which is stored and compressed at the lower centre naturally. In time this will create enough pressure for the energy to force and burn blockages (the scars of karma) clear in order to achieve further and higher states of consciousness.
Some spiritual practices actually set out to awaken this energetic force, though it does not have to be physically awakened, there are many who report that this energy appears to awaken completely naturally. This is because of the bio-energetic systems function for gathering and storing energy by any or all of the three stimuli (physical, mental or energetic practice)
What are the symptoms and why do they occur?
There are many symptoms of kundalini awakening, I have tried to be as thorough as possible with the following list but I am sure there will be those I have missed out on.
Muscle twitches, cramps or spasms.
Energy rushes or immense electricity circulating the body.
Itching, vibrating, prickling, tingling, stinging or crawling sensations.
Intense heat or cold.
Involuntary bodily movements (occur more often during meditation, rest or sleep): jerking, tremors, shaking; feeling an inner force pushing one into postures or moving one's body in unusual ways.
Alterations in eating and sleeping patterns.
Episodes of extreme hyperactivity or, conversely, overwhelming fatigue.
Intensified or diminished sexual desires.
Headaches, pressures within the skull.
Racing heartbeat, pains in the chest.
Digestive system problems.
Numbness or pain in the limbs (particularly the left foot and leg).
Pains and blockages anywhere; often in the back and neck (Many cases of FMS are Kundalini-related.).
Emotional outbursts; rapid mood shifts; seemingly unprovoked or excessive episodes of grief, fear, rage, depression and anxiety.
Spontaneous vocalizations (including laughing and weeping) -- are as unintentional and uncontrollable as hiccoughs.
Hearing an inner sound or sounds, classically described as a flute, drum, waterfall, birds singing, bees buzzing but which may also sound like roaring, whooshing, or thunderous noises or like ringing in the ears.
Mental confusion; difficulty concentrating.
Altered states of consciousness: heightened awareness; spontaneous trance states; mystical experiences (if the individual's prior belief system is too threatened by these, they can lead to bouts of psychosis or self-grandiosity).
Heat, strange activity, and/or blissful sensations in the head, particularly in the crown area.
Ecstasy, bliss and intervals of tremendous joy, love, peace and compassion.
Psychic experiences: extrasensory perception; out-of-body experiences; pastlife memories; astral travel; direct awareness of auras and chakras; contact with spirit guides through inner voices, dreams or visions; healing powers.
Increased creativity: new interests in self-expression and spiritual communication through music, art, poetry, etc.
Intensified understanding and sensitivity: insight into one's own essence; deeper understanding of spiritual truths; exquisite awareness of one's environment (including "vibes" from others).
Enlightenment experiences: direct Knowing of a more expansive reality; transcendent awareness.
These symptoms occur because kundalini is in fact an intense and healing energy. Any negative symptoms felt are normally associated to blockages and attachments which an individual must resolve and overcome in order to develop further. Self analysis and mindfulness can prove to be extremely valuable tools in understanding what the underlying issue may be and as a result put it right and never experience the negative impact of the relevant attachment again.
Dealing with Kundalini.
Some of the exercises I have given on this blog, particularly the pranayama (breathing exercises) are without a doubt the best holistic exercises for general health and development and I would urge you to review them. Grounding is essential as it assistas in the healing process and also draws the energetic pressure away from any problematic blockages.
Seeking help from both a healer who is experienced with these issues and if necessary a guiding force to help you overcome obstacles and issues (if you can not find one anywhere local, I am experienced in kundalini and am more than willing to help anyone needing either healing or assistance of any sort)
I would like to add one more exercise to restore balance and will explain the reason why.
Balance Restoring Exercise
This Chakra and nadi Balancing Breathing Exercise is designed to purify the psychic channels (nadis) through which Kundalini Energy and Prana (Life-Force) flow. There are 3 primary channels for the flow of this energy: Ida, Pingala and Shusumna. It is essential to balance the flow of energy between the Ida and Pingala channels which run alongside and intertwine the spine. These channels exit through the nostrils, each having dominance at various periods of the day. when out of balance you may feel kundalini symptoms on just one side of the body, or indeed just feel "out of balance". (a good indication that you are out of balance is that you breath through one nostril more than the other (or one nostril is dominant))
Through the spinal column runs the Shushumna Nadi, the central master channel. The Ida and Pingala can be considered the lunar and solar channels respectively. With the Ida Nadi responsible for cooling, feminine, passive, mental energy and the Pingala Nadi responsible for hot, male, active, physical energy. As the flow through these 2 channels is harmonized, prana and Kundalini start to flow through Shushumna. This flow through the Shushumna Nadi activates and balances all the seven chakras.
Technique
To practice this breathing exercise, sit upright in a comfortable position.
Elongate your spine upwards, lengthen your neck and subtly bring your chin back. This will align the spine with the back of your head.
Fold your index finger and middle finger into the palm of your right hand so just the thumb, ring finger and pinkie are extended. Hold your knee with your left hand.
Close your eyes.
Bring your attention to your breathing and take 5 deep, slow breaths though the nose. This will oxygenate your blood and relax you. For the rest of the exercise the attention should remain on your breath.
Now with your right thumb gently close the right nostril and breathe in slowly and completely through the left nostril only counting mentally from 1 to 4.
Now gently close the left nostril with your right ring finger and pinkie and releasing the right nostril breathe out through it only, counting mentally from 1 to 4.
Now breathe in through the RIGHT nostril only, keeping the left closed, counting mentally from 1 to 4.
Finally, re-close the right nostril and breathe out through the left only, counting mentally from 1 to 4. This completes 1 cycle of this exercise.
Start with 5 rounds a day and start to add 1 additional round as you make progress. Also, start to add to the count, based on your level of comfort, by 1 for both the inhalation portion and exhalation portion till you reach a count of 12 for each.
To find out what Kundalini Shakti is read on
Rob Lightbearer
What is Kundalini?
Kundalini is technically speaking the compression of bio-energy in the base of the spine beneath the lower knot. This energy is sometimes referred to as the coiled snake. As Kundalini is compressed energy, when it is rising or has risen it is technically no longer compressed therefore not actually kundalini any more, however common usage has labelled all energy associated with the compression and storage, and arising of energy from the lower storage centre through the three main channels (Ida, Pingalla and sushumna) as kundalini therefore I will continue to refer to this energy as such.The lower knot, the knot of Brahma is opened at birth to allow conscious energy access to the material world, the material chakras, and the primal material consciousness. With this in mind it is apparent that all human beings are in deed awakened (energetically speaking). The key difference between joe average and people who experience the symptoms of kundalini awakening, is that the former has undergone no spiritual development and therefore have not put any pressure on the flow of energy. This causes energy to trickle by the easiest route through the bio-energetic system, avoiding blockages and restrictions.
How does it awaken further?
Any form of spiritual development (physical, mental or energetic) creates an increased uptake of bio-energy which is stored and compressed at the lower centre naturally. In time this will create enough pressure for the energy to force and burn blockages (the scars of karma) clear in order to achieve further and higher states of consciousness.Some spiritual practices actually set out to awaken this energetic force, though it does not have to be physically awakened, there are many who report that this energy appears to awaken completely naturally. This is because of the bio-energetic systems function for gathering and storing energy by any or all of the three stimuli (physical, mental or energetic practice)
What are the symptoms and why do they occur?
There are many symptoms of kundalini awakening, I have tried to be as thorough as possible with the following list but I am sure there will be those I have missed out on.
Muscle twitches, cramps or spasms.
Energy rushes or immense electricity circulating the body.
Itching, vibrating, prickling, tingling, stinging or crawling sensations.
Intense heat or cold.
Involuntary bodily movements (occur more often during meditation, rest or sleep): jerking, tremors, shaking; feeling an inner force pushing one into postures or moving one's body in unusual ways.
Alterations in eating and sleeping patterns.
Episodes of extreme hyperactivity or, conversely, overwhelming fatigue.
Intensified or diminished sexual desires.
Headaches, pressures within the skull.
Racing heartbeat, pains in the chest.
Digestive system problems.
Numbness or pain in the limbs (particularly the left foot and leg).
Pains and blockages anywhere; often in the back and neck (Many cases of FMS are Kundalini-related.).
Emotional outbursts; rapid mood shifts; seemingly unprovoked or excessive episodes of grief, fear, rage, depression and anxiety.
Spontaneous vocalizations (including laughing and weeping) -- are as unintentional and uncontrollable as hiccoughs.
Hearing an inner sound or sounds, classically described as a flute, drum, waterfall, birds singing, bees buzzing but which may also sound like roaring, whooshing, or thunderous noises or like ringing in the ears.
Mental confusion; difficulty concentrating.
Altered states of consciousness: heightened awareness; spontaneous trance states; mystical experiences (if the individual's prior belief system is too threatened by these, they can lead to bouts of psychosis or self-grandiosity).
Heat, strange activity, and/or blissful sensations in the head, particularly in the crown area.
Ecstasy, bliss and intervals of tremendous joy, love, peace and compassion.
Psychic experiences: extrasensory perception; out-of-body experiences; pastlife memories; astral travel; direct awareness of auras and chakras; contact with spirit guides through inner voices, dreams or visions; healing powers.
Increased creativity: new interests in self-expression and spiritual communication through music, art, poetry, etc.
Intensified understanding and sensitivity: insight into one's own essence; deeper understanding of spiritual truths; exquisite awareness of one's environment (including "vibes" from others).
Enlightenment experiences: direct Knowing of a more expansive reality; transcendent awareness.
These symptoms occur because kundalini is in fact an intense and healing energy. Any negative symptoms felt are normally associated to blockages and attachments which an individual must resolve and overcome in order to develop further. Self analysis and mindfulness can prove to be extremely valuable tools in understanding what the underlying issue may be and as a result put it right and never experience the negative impact of the relevant attachment again.
Dealing with Kundalini.
Some of the exercises I have given on this blog, particularly the pranayama (breathing exercises) are without a doubt the best holistic exercises for general health and development and I would urge you to review them. Grounding is essential as it assistas in the healing process and also draws the energetic pressure away from any problematic blockages.
Seeking help from both a healer who is experienced with these issues and if necessary a guiding force to help you overcome obstacles and issues (if you can not find one anywhere local, I am experienced in kundalini and am more than willing to help anyone needing either healing or assistance of any sort)
I would like to add one more exercise to restore balance and will explain the reason why.
Balance Restoring Exercise
Through the spinal column runs the Shushumna Nadi, the central master channel. The Ida and Pingala can be considered the lunar and solar channels respectively. With the Ida Nadi responsible for cooling, feminine, passive, mental energy and the Pingala Nadi responsible for hot, male, active, physical energy. As the flow through these 2 channels is harmonized, prana and Kundalini start to flow through Shushumna. This flow through the Shushumna Nadi activates and balances all the seven chakras.
Technique
To practice this breathing exercise, sit upright in a comfortable position.
Elongate your spine upwards, lengthen your neck and subtly bring your chin back. This will align the spine with the back of your head.
Fold your index finger and middle finger into the palm of your right hand so just the thumb, ring finger and pinkie are extended. Hold your knee with your left hand.
Close your eyes.
Bring your attention to your breathing and take 5 deep, slow breaths though the nose. This will oxygenate your blood and relax you. For the rest of the exercise the attention should remain on your breath.
Now with your right thumb gently close the right nostril and breathe in slowly and completely through the left nostril only counting mentally from 1 to 4.
Now gently close the left nostril with your right ring finger and pinkie and releasing the right nostril breathe out through it only, counting mentally from 1 to 4.
Now breathe in through the RIGHT nostril only, keeping the left closed, counting mentally from 1 to 4.
Finally, re-close the right nostril and breathe out through the left only, counting mentally from 1 to 4. This completes 1 cycle of this exercise.
Start with 5 rounds a day and start to add 1 additional round as you make progress. Also, start to add to the count, based on your level of comfort, by 1 for both the inhalation portion and exhalation portion till you reach a count of 12 for each.
To find out what Kundalini Shakti is read on
Posts
