What is Kundalini Energy & How to Awaken it?
What is Kundalini Energy ?
Kundalini is the cosmic creative energy, the life force that permeates everything. It is the “Mother” which nourrishes, supports and maintains every form of life. It is the very substance of all the so-called material universe also known as “Maya” or illusion. The word Kundalini, derived from Sanskrit which literally means “coiled like a snake”, and describe the divine feminine energy existing in a latent form in every human being, which is traditionnaly known as being located in the sacrum, at the base of the spine, in the muladhara chakra.
“Kundalini is the support of
our lives, it is She who makes
everything work in our bodies.”
Why Kundalini Energy is Dormant?
Human beings are unconsciously using kundalini energy every day, through the first three chakras (survival, sexuality, self-esteem), to accomplish their daily activities, but also to feed their material desires and attachments to the matter, like many invisible chains keeping them in slavery. Kundalini and therefore consciousness of a large part of humanity is currently blocked at this material level, mainly because of repressed emotions and unresolved conflicts, all synonymous with karma or the results of past actions.
“The mundane aspect of Kundalini is functioning perfectly, but the inner aspect is dormant, sleeping. When
the inner Kundalini energy is awakened, it leads us to the state of the Self.”
What is a Kundalini Awakening?
Kundalini awakening is a natural physiological process of purification of the nervous system, chakras, and of the subconscious mind, where the life force energy lodged in the sacrum, is magnetically drawn to the crown chakra, at the top of the skull, and begins a long ascension along the spine and through the 76,000 nadis, with the final goal of reuniting individual consciousness with universal cosmic consciousness, for the realization of our true nature.
“So these are two different things. One
is the yoga or the Realization through
the awakening of your Kundalini. The other is the gyana, which is the part which gives you complete knowledge and mastery over your powers.”
Kundalini Awakening is Like a Factory Reset!
Kundalini awakening is somewhat to the body, what the “factory reset” is to the smartphone. This is why it is accompanied by multiple physical symptoms, emotional healing crisis, episodes of depression but also with spiritual experience, consciousness expansion and supreme bliss, which can also be followed by major life changes like breakup, career change, new way of life, new diet or moving house.
“The first transformation you feel, before you change your temperament, before you change your habits, before you take anything, is that your central nervous system acquires a new dimension of collective consciousness.”
The Importance of a Regular Spiritual Practice
Whether spontaneous or the result of a shaktipat initiation by a guru, kundalini awakening must be lovingly nurtured as one nurtures a fire, by adding logs to it. That is, by regular sadhana (spiritual practice) such as meditation, pranayama, japa mantra, or bhakti (devotion), and by the constant remembrance of God as being everywhere, everything and in everyone.
“How you grow into that knowledge
is through this Kundalini awakening, through this happening of the Kundalini rising within you and piercing through your fontanel bone area, giving you the real baptism and not an artificial one.”
What is the Goal of Kundalini Awakening?
If human beings wants to develop in harmony with nature and get out of misery, they need to enter the realm of the heart and retrieve their natural oneness state, lost at the fall from the garden of Eden. This natural harmony should have been the normal evolution of each human beings, but because of chakra’s blockages, due to poor emotional and mental developement in childhood and adolescence, kundalini energy cannot make it’s way up to the brain. In this context, the goal of kundalini awakening is to clear all bloclages, negative subconscious patterns, sins and iniquities, accumulated out of ignorance, in all the nadis, so that life, bliss and joy may flow again everywhere.
out of his belly shall flow
rivers of living water.”
Shiva Sutras: “The bliss of the world
is the ecstasy of samadhi.” In this
state one recognizes the presence
of God in everything.
“Wherever the river flows,
there will be swarms of living
creatures and a great number
of fish, because it flows there
and makes the waters fresh;
so wherever the river flows,
everything will flourish.”
What Happens During Kundalini Awakening?
Kundalini awakening often happens suddenly when you are least prepared for it. Striking as a lightning bolt in the middle of the night, kundalini awakening is experienced as a roaring surge of energy making its way up through the spine, but it can also feel like a sudden explosion or electric shock in your head. Kundalini awakening process can be trigerred in various ways, like by extreme emotional stress, deep devotional prayer, or even intense physical activity. Coming out of nowhere, kundalini awakening is an irresistible impulse of life within you, it is the voice of the one crying in the wilderness, it is the Father within you, knocking at the door, and announcing your return home.
it on a pole, and everyone
who is bitten, when he
sees it, shall live.”
“Just as Moses lifted up
the snake in the wilderness,
so the Son of Man must be
lifted up, so that everyone
who believes in Him may
have eternal life.”
“Shaktipat or Kundalini awakening may occur even without a Guru. For instance, the inner Shakti or Kundalini can also become activated through austerities, mantra recitation, intense devotion or special worship, by the influences of Guru’s grace received in a previous life or as a result of an incompleted sadhana of a past birth. Sometimes one receives initiation from a saint or deity in a dream.”
“I saw the Kundalini, which is the primordial force within us, the Holy Ghost within us, rising like a telescope opening out and then I saw the whole thing open and a torrential rain of beams started flowing through my head and everywhere. I felt that I was lost, I was no more. Only the grace was there.”
How Long Does a Kundalini Awakening Last?
If the whole kundalini awakening process can last from several years to even several lifes until its ultimate completion, (according to one’s karma and past life’s sadhana) the secondary effects of a kundalini energy surge can last from several days to several months, depending of one’s nervous system’s ability to integrate this strong energetic upgrade. If you receive frequent shaktipat transmission, without of course forgetting your sadhana, the energy purification work will be faster and more regular, with less jerkiness over time, like the relentless backwash of the waves along the shore.
What is the Spiritual Meaning of Kundalini Awakening?
Kundalini awakening is the sign that the vital energy force of the body which was dedicated until there to material tasks, goals and desires, projected in the outward, is now irrepressibly attracted inward like a magnet by the Self. Now all your thoughts, actions, words, are lifted up and given to God/Self, and as you are less and less interested in worldly affairs, you start to meditate, feeling bliss and devotion, as you can only find confort and peace in abiding in his divine presence.
“Kundalini is never dormant. It is always awake. However, when it is directed toward the outside world, Shakti is said to be spiritually dormant, but when this flow of energy is turned within, and towards the Self, Kundalini Shakti, Awakening of spiritual energy, inward activation of Shakti occurs.”
Top 15 Spontaneous Kundalini Awakening Causes
- Emotional trauma
- Extreme mental stress
- Near death experiences
- Intense trance
- Intense breathing work
- Intense energy work
- Intense physical activity (Dance, yoga, gym)
- Entheogenic plants (iboga, ayahuasca, amanita, peyote…)
- Intense japa mantra recitation
- Intense prayer and devotional activity
- Shaktipat, darshan, satsang or touch of the Guru
- Shaktipat initiation by Gurus or spiritual beings in dreams
- Guru’s grace received in past life
- Self-Realization obtained in past life
- Meditation’s efforts in past life
“When your inner Kundalini Shakti unfolds, Her love will flow all through your body, through all the 72,000 nadis. Her rapture will spread through every particle of blood, as a result of which you will experience bliss in every pore. Then your desire for the joy of touch will be satisfied and your world filled with sweetness, bliss, and love. Consequently, the light that was lost will return to your eyes, your lips will become red, your dried-up face will become aglow with love, and will blossom. You will experience happiness in everything.”
“God’s Shakti is mysterious, just as God is. Shakti is one. It cannot be divided. even though it appears as if it is. Shakti takes the form of individual consciousness and is present in everyone. The ultimate goal of spiritual life is to recognize that Shakti is undivided in the whole creation and to merge or dissolve the Self into the all-pervading undivided cosmic Shakti.”
THE SECRET OF KUNDALINI AWAKENING IS
SIMPLY THE CONSTANT REMEMBERING OF
THE PRESENCE OF GOD WITHIN YOU!!
Top 10 Books for Understanding Kundalini Awakening:
- Handbook for Shaktipat Initiates, by Jan Esmann
- Kundalini Tantra, Song of Liberation, by Jan Esmann
- Kundalini The Secret of Life, by Swami Muktananda
- Play of Consciousness, by Swami Muktananda
- Kundalini: The Evolutionary Energy in Man, by Gopi Krishna
- Journey Within, by Shri Mataji Nirmala Devi
- The Power Unknow to God, by Colonel T. Sreenivasulu
- The Kundalini Guide, by Bonnie Greenwell
- Kundalini, the Mother-Power, by Sri Chinmoy
- A Guide to Shaktipat, by Swami Shivom Tirth
the Son of man, then shall
you know that I AM HE.”
“Meditate on your Self, honor your
Self, worship your Self, for God
dwells within you as you.”
Ramana Maharshi was amongst the most revered Indian spiritual masters of the 20th century. As a Jnana or knower of the Self, all his teachings were focused on the Self, on the seeking of the pure “I AM” only. In these conditions, kundalini was surely not his subject of choice, as mental and physical process could be considered as a distraction to Self-realization. Nevertheless, the subject was brought up by the many visitors Baghavan received, so let us see how Ramana Maharshi approached the question.
Extracts from “Talks with Sri Ramana Maharshi”
Visitor: What part does Kundalini play in bringing about Self-Realisation?
Ramana Maharshi: Kundalini rises from any lakshya (goal) that you have. Kundalini is prana-sakti (life-current).
Visitor: They say that Kundalini must be roused before Realisation and that its awakening makes the body feel hot. Is that so?
Ramana Maharshi: The yogis call it Kundalini Sakti. It is the same as vritti, one of the form of God (Bhagavatakara vritti) of the bhaktas and vritti of the form of Brahman (Brahmakara vritti) of the jnanis. It must be preliminary to Realisation. The sensation produced may be said to be hot. Meditation should remain unbroken as a current. If unbroken it is called samadhi or Kundalini sakti.
Visitor: How to find the Atman?
Ramana Maharshi: There is no investigation into the Atman. The investigation can only be into the non-self. Elimination of the non-self is alone possible. The Self being always self evident will shine forth of itself. The Self is called by different names – Atman, God, Kundalini, mantra, etc. Hold any one of them and the Self becomes manifest. God is no other than the Self. Kundalini is now showing forth as the mind. When the mind is traced to its source it is Kundalini.
Visitor: What is mukhya prana (the chief prana)?
Ramana Maharshi: It is that from which the ego and the prana rise. It is sometimes called Kundalini. Consciousness is not born at any time, it remains eternal. But ego is born; so also the other thoughts. Associated with the absolute consciousness they shine forth; not otherwise.
Kundalini-shakti is One of the Names of the Infinite “I”
Simultaneously another luminous and infinite “I-I” will manifest and it will be continuous and unbroken. That is the goal. It goes by different names – God, Self, Kundalini-Sakti, consciousness, Yoga, Bhakti, Jnana, etc…
Kundalini-shakti is in Everyone:
The kundalinî-shakti is in everyone. When the true nature of this shakti is realized, it is called akhanda-âkâra-vritti (full consciousness) or ahamsphurana (radiance of “I, I”). The kundalinî-shakti is there for every man whatever the path he follows. It is only a matter of appellation.
There is only one Kundalini-shakti:
Shakti has only one phase. If it is said that it manifests in several phases, it is only a figure of speech. There is only one shakti.
Visitor: How concentration is achieved?
Ramana Maharshi: By practice. A devotee concentrates on God; a seeker, follower of the jnana-marga, seeks the Self. The practice is equally difficult for both.
Visitor: Even if the mind is brought to bear on the search for the Self, after a long struggle the mind begins to elude him and the man is not aware of the mischief until after some time.
Ramana Maharshi: So it would be. In the earlier stages the mind reverts to the search at long intervals; with continued practice it reverts at shorter intervals until finally it does not wander at all. It is then that the dormant sakti manifests. The satvic mind is free from thoughts whereas the rajasic mind is full of them. The sattvic mind resolves itself into the Life-current (kundalini-shakti).
Visitor: Can one keep the mind away from entering into the phase of thoughts before one experiences the current?
Ramana Maharshi: Yes; the current (kundalini-shakti) is pre-existent.
Continue your lecture with: How to meditate for spiritual enlightenment?