As I watch others on the shared path to enlightenment, I see a disconnect between the life transformation that Kundalini Shakti represents and the reports of success that people share. This ancient and “rarely documented” experience comes with a lack of instruction and direction in how to achieve it, and I appreciate this. Yet once you have been through it, you recognize the traits, indicators, and general themes of an awakening, and thus can tell when others are missing the point. For example, I read an account of awakening recently and I compared these effects with the ones I experienced:
- A rough time dealing with mental and physical issues prior to any revelation
- Expansion of consciousness and experience of synchronicity
- Experience of deep unity and contact with ascended beings
- Union with Life Energy itself (Yoga)
- Overwhelming sense of bliss, joy and gratitude
- Unbelievable sense of wonder and awe at being alive in this world
- Crying, extreme sensitivity, deep feelings
- Intense feeling of peace, and a lessening of worldly issues
- Loss of fear of death, and a new perspective on your life
- New knowledge obtained from the ether/ awareness of the unbounded intelligence behind universe
- Unbiased love and divine altered states
- Connection with the source of consciousness
- A change in empathy leading to selfless acts
- A need to speak/write only the truth
- The drive to connect and share your story with others
- A change in diet and old ways of behaving
The awakening of Kundalini is not just feelings of static electricity at different locations in the body, and yet, from my time monitoring discussion boards and weblogs, it seems to be one of the most common. The awakening of Kundalini is a life transformation, and it comes on in stages or all at once (as it did in my case), but in either case each stage is not possible in the subtle body without mental changes and emotional experiences from your past.
One must live the changes, otherwise progress cannot be attained, one must face inner demons and fears, unless one has led a perfect life, and it is not simply a mechanical opening of chakras through Yoga practice. Yet this is the vast majority of the sharing that I see. Some recent examples of typical online posts are:
Kundalini Symptoms
“A couple nights ago I felt what was like a very light tracing feeling up and down the bottom of my spine to the middle of the lower back. Now that I think about it, I have had some sensations like a light tingling on the crown of my head, but I’m not 100% sure so maybe just leave that out. Do you think these are symptoms of Kundalini?”
Awareness of Inner Vibrations
“I became aware of a humming, or vibrating in my body. It almost felt as though it were coming from my lower neck/upper back area. It feels/sounds like a small engine or generator way off on the distance (only way I can describe it) After finishing this part of my morning and being aware of this humming, I have gone on to work and eat breakfast etc. I am still aware of this vibration/humming in my body 3 hours later. Looking back, I have experienced this feeling before, but I wrote it off as probably some mechanical thing in my house causing me to feel vibrations through the floor. Does anyone have an insights or similar experiences?”
Experiencing new perceptions, wanting a little guidance
“So for the past few weeks I’ve been experiencing the sensations of energy very clearly moving throughout my body for the first time. I first started to notice a persistent pressure in the area of my third eye, and very mild headaches that would only last a few minutes. The headaches have since stopped, but if I move my awareness anywhere near my third eye the pressure returns. At this point I can clearly feel a tingling energy moving throughout my body, strongest in the spine, and can direct it with my awareness. When I feel the pressure arise in my forehead I can now move the energy away and back down my spine and it has helped greatly.”
Questions about Kundalini
“Since I was a child I’ve had this odd ability to control surges of warm/electric energy up my spine, sometimes it stops at the base of my head, other times I can spread it to my shoulders or arms. When I get goosebumps I’m able to start a surge and they go away. It helps when I contract certain muscles combined with breathing and posturing my body a certain way. A lot of the times when I experience the surge I let out a shout or sudden jerky movements.”
Overwhelmingly, people are not putting in the mental and emotional work to transform themselves and this leads to my often used comment on their posts of “you are not plumbing.”
While Ida, Sushumna, and Pingala Nadis may appear to be pipes and the Chakras taps that can be opened, this is not something that can be achieved mechanically. All the Hatha Yoga in the world will not work if you are not living spiritually and preparing the mind along with the body.
To those people above I say, keep at it but I suggest they follow the 8 limbs of yoga from the outside to the inside. You’ll get there if seek union honestly and for long enough.
As a final word on this, the following are suggested changes that need to be made at each Chakra for it to truly open.
1st Chakra (Muladhara): You need to have an educational foundation and need to know what you are trying to achieve. You must be safe and secure in your life, without fear of survival or security, and you must be self-accepting of who you are.
2nd Chakra (Swadhisthana): You need to be creative and letting those feelings flow. The nature of the creativity can be anything, from writing to painting, or building relationships, or creating a life. You need to be accepting that you will feel and desire without guilt, and not cut yourself off from emotion.
3rd Chakra (Manipura): You must be willful and practice this in life, you would be wise to commit yourself to something and give it your all. Seeking personal power in terms of confidence by standing up for what you believe is key in demonstrating that you are living the things you preach. If you still feel shame for past deeds at this point, you will not progress.
4th Chakra (Anahata): Love and Compassion are vital to spiritual awareness in dealing with others. Forgiveness and service to others is also key, but also forgive yourself and work through grief of past injuries. Be aware that these actions must be honest and heartfelt, you cannot fake it. Plenty of people appear to be nice, but are they kind?
5th Chakra (Vishuddha): Hear and speak the Truth, and do not be easily swayed. Being a teacher for someone is a good way to practice this and demonstrate to the universe that you are practicing what you preach.
6th Chakra (Ajna): Learn to use and trust your intuition so that it leads to remembered wisdom and identity. You may find your purpose in life at this stage and if you do, believe what you are told. Illusions must fall away from your mind if this chakra is to open, stop kidding yourself.
7th Chakra (Sahasrara): Possibly the most difficult to achieve and the lengthiest part of the process is the death of that wily ego. This is the most important and most difficult stage, but if I can do it, you can, too.