Kundalini (Dormant Serpent Power)

In the previous two posts, I explained about nadis and chakras. Now, I am going to continue with the last part of the astral body, Kundalini.

Kundalini is a Sanskrit word. It literally means ‘the coiled up’ or ‘coiling like snake’. Kundalini resides at muladhar (root) chakra, at the base of spine in the triangular shaped sacrum bone.  It is in the form of three and a half coils. Three coils represent three gunas of prakruti (nature): satva, rajas and tamas. The half coil represents vikrutis, the modification of prakruti. It is potential or static force energy in human beings. It lies dormant or sleeping at muladhar chakra. Due to its serpentine form, it is called dormant serpentine power. It is fiery occult power, pristine force. It is spiritual potential Shakti or cosmic power in individual bodies. It is universal energy open to everyone. There is always some degree of kundalini present and active in everyone of us. It is not a material force like electricity or magnetism.

The kundalini, when awakens, can rise from muladhar chakra through the central nadi called sushumna inside the spine and reaches the sahastrar (crown) chakra at the top of the head. The rising kundalini energy though the different chakras leads to opening of the particular chakra as it ascends. The chakras with their petals hangs downwards when kundalini is sleeping at the muladhar chakra. When kundalini gets awakened, they turn upwards towards sahastrar chakra or brahmarandhra. The chakras always face the side of kundalini. As kundalini rises step by step, it opens up layer after layers of mind or consciousness. The rising of kundalini through the different chakras leads to different levels of awakening, producing profound, spiritual or mystical experience, when it reaches at the crown chakra, the masculine energy centre.

The kundalini awakening is a process that works with energy, masculine and feminine. The kundalini is feminine energy or divine Shakti or goddess. When it rises to sahastrar chakra, it unites itself with divine masculine energy or supreme consciousness, lord Shiva or God. By some, awakening of kundalini is as awakening of inner knowledge, self-realisation or spiritual enlightment. You attain divine wisdom. You understand that you are connected with universe and you are part of it. You get filled with joy, energy and vitality. Most commonly reported awakened kundalini experience is the feeling of an electric current running along the spine.

Kundalini can be awakened by certain yoga practices such as mulbandha, uddiyanabandha, jalandharbandha etc. It can be awakened by intense meditation or intense breath control techniques such as pranayama. However one must practise yoga for quite a long time before attempting to arouse it.

You should not attempt to open kundalini if your nadis are not purified enough, or your whole astral body system, or your whole energy system is not strengthened enough to sustain the power of it. If you are not spiritually developed, you should not hurry or quicken to open this fiery power. When it is awakened forcefully, it makes a hissing sound like that of a serpent beaten with a stick. When awakening of this kundalini energy is rushed, it can cause serious problems. It can be dangerous to your mental, psychological or spiritual health. In fact, many experienced yogis warn not to intend or attempt to awaken it hurriedly or forcefully without understanding it fully. It should be a natural, moderate and gradual process while practising yoga. Your intention to awaken kundalini should be to get divine knowledge or divine power to help yourself or to help others to solve problems and to improve quality of life.