Kundalini Awakening: What Is It and How To Awaken It

Kundalini yoga is a deeply spiritual practice. In fact, many say that the Kundalini process can lead to a spiritual awakening.

And while spiritual enlightenment sounds like a really good thing, it can come with a whole lot of intense experiences (headaches, nausea, YUCK).

The way that yoga talks about this spiritual experience is through the Kundalini process, where prana (life force energy) moves through the subtle body (aka your spinal column) until it reaches the Sahasrara Chakra at the top of your head…

…to awaken Kundalini.

Before you go chasing the Kundalini experience (like I did), take some time to get acquainted with the Kundalini awakening process. There are a few things you should know about awakened Kundalini, first.

And then I’ll share my tips on how to use this ancient practice to achieve your own spiritual awakening too.

So buckle up. We are about to embark on a spiritual journey.

What is Kundalini Awakening?

Kundalini Awakening is a remarkably powerful spiritual experience. In the yoga world, it is spiritual enlightenment. It is something that devoted yogis and practitioners spend many years preparing for and working towards.

So what happens when we awaken our dormant Kundalini energy?

Well, consider that Kundalini is our spiritual energy. A Kundalini practice uses the physical body to move the spiritual energy along our central channel (along the spinal cord).

In essence, it’s waking up the divine feminine life force energy, known as the Kundalini serpent, that lies coiled and locked at the base of our spine.

The uncoiling of your essentialness. Your you-ness. Your creative potential.

It’s the energy of your soul. Your highest identity.

This Kundalini energy is always in us, just dormant.

Time to think about this differently.

Kundalini free flowing in child and then life and our perceived limitations are what block it. It gets stagnant and gets stuck. Kundalini awakening not something that’s happening to you the first time when it happens, it’s like a return to homeostasis, your birthright, your true enlivened state of being.

RE-AWAKENING.

Once this energy is woken and able to flow freely up and down our centerline, or sushmuna, the central channel through which Kundalini ascends. This coiled energy originates at the base of the spine where the 3 nadis, ida, pingala, and sushmna meet.

It makes its way up to penetrate the seventh chakra (at the crown of your head) where it meets the divine masculine forces (consciousness).

Where our divine feminine energy represents creation, our divine masculine energy is higher consciousness.

And with this meeting comes a shift into a broadened state of awareness. There, in the seventh chakra, a spiritual awakening can occur.

This is what we call Kundalini Awakening.

It is an experience that will move you to your core and bring all into light.

🎁  My Gift to You: Take $50 off my popular Kundalini Demystified video course. Use code bloglovin at checkout.

Is Kundalini awakening rare?

Kundalini awakening is somewhat common in the spiritual world.

But generally speaking, it’s rare.

It’s a total transformation that will open your mind, body and soul to a whole new magnitude.

And the thing is, you really have no control over when or if Kundalini will awaken. (Hello, spontaneous awakening). Sometimes, Kundalini awakening can even be traumatic.

While we can work faithfully with Kundalini energy to summon her rising…

…in the end, it is she who decides when she is ready.

For some, reaching awakening can take a lifetime to achieve and there’s absolutely nothing wrong with that because it’s all about the process.

And everything happens in the divine way that it should.

You might also like: What Is Kundalini Syndrome? (And Can It Happen To You?)

What triggers Kundalini awakening?

Awakening Kundalini can go two ways.

1. Kundalini awakens through many years of hard work and dedication.
2. Kundalini awakens spontaneously. You are not actively working to achieve awakening nor are you mentally preparing yourself but somehow, awakening is triggered.

Though we can take the steps to awaken dormant Kundalini energy, there is truly no rhyme or reason to when and how Kundalini will awaken.

I know, it sounds discouraging and quite like a mystical experience.

But that’s because it is and it has a lot to do with Karma, from this life and many lives before.

After all, our spiritual journey begins long before we enter this physical body. And a dedicated yoga practice can help us get closer to the spiritual path.

Intentional or not, some things that can trigger awakening are:

1. Meditation

Meditation in general is a wonderful practice and tool for preparing and awakening Kundalini.

In particular, practicing extended meditation within a short time period, such as in a retreat setting, can be a trigger for awakening to occur.

2. Yoga Asana

Both Kundalini Yoga and Hatha Yoga can trigger awakening through activating and clearing the energy centers through specific chakra-aligned postures.

Other spiritual postural practices like Qi-gong can be a trigger too.

3. Breathwork

Working with the breath and certain pranayama exercises can trigger awakening as you guide your life force to flow up and down the energy line within.

4. Prayer

Much of awakening stems from intention.

Therefore, intense prayer and deep devotion to connection with the divine can trigger awakening.

5. Energy Healing

Chakra work, Reiki, hypnosis, trauma therapy, and so on, can be a big trigger for awakening Kundalini as you are working intently to clear blockages in the subtle body, making space for Kundalini energy to flow.

6. Physical Trauma

Awakening can be triggered through working to heal physical trauma and injury, especially in the lower back or spine area as that where she lays.

7. Emotional Trauma and Depression or Grief

Losing someone close to you whether it be through death, a break-up, or physical separation can be a strong trigger for awakening as well as suffering from depression or experiencing great grief.

8. Near-Death Experience

Kundalini is a life force within the sublet body. Sometimes, Kundalini energy will awaken in an attempt to sustain life in a near-death experience.

9. Love

Falling in love can trigger awakening by opening up the Anahata chakra in the heart center.

10. Childbirth

Giving birth to a child can trigger Kundalini Awakening as new life passes through the Muladhara chakra.

Is Kundalini awakening dangerous?

Working to awaken Kundalini energy is a safe practice in itself.

However, there are some dangers to it. You must be aware that awakening Kundalini unleashes tremendous force.

And with great power comes great responsibility.

Think of Kundalini as a fierce and powerful goddess. Her presence is strong and intense. Waking the goddess is an ancient and sacred art form that must be handled with care, grace and intention.

Where the danger lies is in not being prepared.

If you are not prepared for Kundalini energy to awaken, the experience can be quite frightening. There will be a lot of confusion, discomfort and resistance as the ego begins to dissolve and we are confronted with truth. This can feel like a bad drug trip or even psychotic break with reality.

In order to be able to merge graciously with Kundalini energy, a person must go through a period of careful purification and strengthening of their entire system first. This means that practicing under the guidance of a trusted and knowledgeable teacher or guru is pretty much always necessary. While the energy of the divine force is loving, nurturing and healing in its essence, the sudden shift in perception can be extremely overwhelming if we’re not ready.

Not only will allowing a teacher to guide you will help you understand how to manage the power that Kundalini brings forth…

…but also your teacher can guide you through practices and techniques based on what is right for you and your particular make-up 🙂

Awakening the divine feminine force inside brings great change and transition.

It’s not a process that should be rushed and it’s not always smooth sailing either. It can be rocky waters that bring us to the depths of our soul too. So, be willing and ready to do the work and embark on the journey if awakening Kundalini calls to you.

You might also like: Who Is Yogi Bhajan? The Guru That The Kundalini Community Rejects

How to Awaken Kundalini Energy

Awakening Kundalini energy is achieved through a variety of sacred practices that stem from one of the most ancient religions in the world – Hinduism.

Traditionally, in India, yogis would cleanse and prepare for years and years to experience Kundalini awakening.

Nowadays, many practitioners are looking for the quickest way there.

But, it’s important to know and remember that when dealing with energy as potent as Kundalini, preparation is key.

Through yoga asana, meditation, pranayama, chanting, mantras, ritual, intention, prayer and so on…

…we focus on unraveling the divine feminine force that resides within us all, safely and in traditional form.

In preparation, we practice maintaining a healthy body, mind and spirit by nurturing ourselves with nourishment in every way 🙂

Here are the steps to achieving Kundalini Awakening.

Step #1 – Breathwork

Work with different breathing techniques to cleanse and purify the body and mind.

There are specific pranayama exercises you can work with such as Kumbhaka (breath retention) and Kapalabhati (breath of fire) that can guide you to awakening.

You can also focus on consciously moving your breath all the way up and down your spine to allow life force to pass through each of the energy centers.

Step #2 – Meditation

Contemplation and meditation are mighty tools in leading us to the source.

When practicing meditation, you’ll want to be seated upright with good posture so that you can allow energy to move unrestricted up and down your center lines.

Visualization meditations can be a powerful step in awakening kundalini as you focus on actually seeing the energy inside of you.

You can also practice visualizing the divine light within.

Step #3 – Yoga Asana and Kriyas

In Sanskrit, Kriya means to move.

Both Kundalini and Hatha Yoga involve a range of kriyas, asanas and pranayama practices that prepare us for Kundalini awakening.

Kundalini yoga poses work with a sequence of repetitive movements and asana postures to cleanse our organs of toxins, boost energy levels and clear the subtle system.

Hatha Yoga also focuses on awakening the Kundalini energy through shatkarma, asana, pranayama and meditation.

7 particular yoga asanas you can work with are:

1. Malasana Yogi Squat (Root Chakra)
2. Frog Pose (Sacral Chakra)
3. Dhanurasana Bow Pose (Solar Plexus)
4. Camel Pose (Heart Chakra)
5. Cobra Pose (Throat Chakra)
6. Balasana Child’s Pose (Third Eye)
7. Sat Kriya (Crown Chakra)

Step #4 – Chanting and Mantras

By chanting mantra you align your inner vibration with your outer surroundings. The power of sound and vibration in our body makes it easier for us to achieve and activate awakening.

7 mantras you can work with in preparation for awakening Kundalini are:

1. LAM (Root Chakra)
2. VAM (Sacral Chakra)
3. RAM (Solar Plexus)
4. YAM (Heart Chakra)
5. HAM (Throat Chakra)
6. AUM (Third Eye)
7. Silence (Crown Chakra)

Step #5 – Mudras

A mudra is an arm, hand or body gesture that creates an energetic seal in the body. It guides and directs energy flow to certain parts of the body to establish balance.

1. The Muladhara Mudra (Root Chakra)
2. Shakti Mudra (Sacral Chakra)
3. Rudra Mudra (Solar Plexus)
4. Padma Mudra (Heart Chakra)
5. Granthita Mudra (Throat Chakra)
6. Mudra of the Great Head (Third Eye)
7. The Mudra of A Thousand Petals (Crown Chakra)

Step #6 – Ritual and Prayer

The power of ritual and prayer is often overlooked. Do not be mistaken – both are extremely powerful and important in evoking Kundalini energy.

Step #7 – Shaktipat

Shaktipat is the transfer of spiritual energy from a great spiritual guru to the student.

The transfer generally occurs by touch but can also be transmitted by mantra, word, and sometimes even simply through the eyes.

Step #9 – Intention and Devotion

Kundalini can be awakened through a dedicated study of philosophy and scripture along with deep devotion through prayer and intention.

Step #10 – Brahmacharya (celibacy)

When practicing traditional higher tantra (Brahmacharya) you exercise both physical and mental celibacy. The idea behind this is rather than seeking union from a source outside yourself, you turn inwardly and seek union from within.

Discover: The Origins of Kundalini Yoga. Sikhism + Yogi Bhajan + is Kundalini Yoga a Religion?

What Are The Signs of Kundalini Awakening?

The signs and symptoms of Kundalini awakening are largely dependent on the energy blocks inside each of our unique physical, emotional and spiritual bodies.

Each one of us is uniquely and beautifully different in so many ways. So the signs and symptoms of Kundalini Awakening will vary amongst us all.

There are, however, some tell-tale signs:

• Sign #1 – Physical symptoms that include fever, chills, headaches, sweating, crying or a tingling sensation down the spine
• Sign #2 – Increased sensitivity, both emotionally and physically
• Sign #3 – A change in sleep patterns
• Sign #4 – A deep sense of interconnectedness with all things
• Sign #5 – A new ability to see the bigger picture (activating your third eye)
• Sign #6 – Acceptance of what is (truth) and relief from negative emotions
• Sign #7 – Eagerness to practice non-violence
• Sign #8 – Recognition of oneness and the desire to serve others
• Sign #9 – A sense of connection to God, Divinity or a higher power
• Sign #10 – The sudden urge for radical change
• Sign #11 – A profound sense of calm, composure and peace
• Sign #12 – A deepening of compassion, empathy and understanding
• Sign #13 – The ability to communicate freely and openly (unblocking the throat chakra)
• Sign #14 – Vivid or lucid dreams and enhanced intuition
• Sign #15 – A stronger immune system as your body beings to thrive off of the energy within

In the end, awakening Kundalini is a process.

A journey of deep devotion, purification, patience and training.

So please, move slowly and with ease.

Be kind to yourself and the divine feminine energy that resides within.

Each step should be embraced fully with love, presence and joy 🙂

🎁  Gift to YOU special light-being for reading my blog! Enjoy $50 off my popular Kundalini 30-Hour home study course. Debunk common myths around Kundalini alignment and adaptations. Plus, discover the origins of this practice (Sikhism + Yogi Bhajan + is Kundalini Yoga a Religion?) Use code bloglovin at checkout.

🤓  Ready for full 200-Hour Kundalini Yoga Teacher Training? Go here.