What is Kundalini?

Kundalini Meaning

The term “Kundalini” comes from the Sanskrit word “kundal,” which means “circular.” It also refers to a coiled snake. Kundalini energy (or Kundalini Shakti) is the divine feminine creative energy that we were born with which rests at the base of the spine, symbolized by a coiled-up snake. The Kundalini snake lies dormant until activated. She is consciousness and a mysterious power that resides in each human being.
Kundalini is also known by different names such as the Serpent Power, the Inner Woman, Kundalini Shakti, and the solar principle of man and seems to have been a widespread phenomenon in mystical teachings for as many as three thousand years.

Kundalini Origin

Although scholars don’t have an exact date of its origin, Kundalini energy was first mentioned in ancient Hindu religious texts originating in India before 1000 B.C. Kundalini-type definitions or experiences have also been found in teachings of the Tibetans, Chinese, Egyptians, and in Africa as well as in certain Native American tribes. Kundalini has been interpreted from the Bible as “the solar principle in man” and is referenced in the Koran, alchemical tracts, the works of Plato and other Greek philosophers and in Hermetic, Kabbalistic, Rosicrucian, and Masonic writings.

Symbolically the Kundalini has been represented using the symbol of the caduceus (known in Greek mythology as the staff of Hermes) with the staff representing the spine and the two serpents symbolizing Kundalini energy and the Kundalini activation process. The caduceus is also used as the modern symbol for medicine which is a hint that a Kundalini awakening has to do with healing.
Originally, Kundalini was not available to the layman. For thousands of years, the science of Kundalini was kept hidden, passed on in secret from master to a chosen disciple who was considered worthy. It was treated as an advanced education and students had to go through several years of preparation before learning the spirit-body lessons of the Kundalini masters.

Kundalini Yoga

In order to activate this dormant energy, the Kundalini Yoga practice was born from the lineage of Raj Yoga, one of the oldest forms of yoga often referred to as ”chief,” ”best of its kind,” or even ”the highest state of yoga practice.”

Kundalini was never taught in public until the 1960s when a yoga teacher from Pakistan named Yogi Bhajan challenged the age-old tradition of secrecy and introduced the practice of Kundalini Yoga to western countries. He wrote, “I am sharing these teachings to create a science of the Total Self. It is the birthright of every human being to be healthy, happy and holy.” He taught the practices of meditation and yoga techniques for more than 30 years and also trained others to become teachers.

Nowadays, the practice of Kundalini Yoga has spread all over the world and is a synthesis of many techniques. It is not your typical yoga class; it is more of a spiritual practice than a fitness regime. It consists of a mix of movements, chanting mantras, meditation, breathing exercises and more.

Kundalini Activation and Kundalini Awakening

There is an old parable about a beggar who spent most of his life sitting under a tree begging for a few coins. When he died without friends or family, the townsfolk decided to bury him under the same tree. While they were digging his grave, they discovered buried treasure. The beggar had spent all his years in poverty, without realizing that he had been sitting and begging on top of such a treasure.
In the same way, Kundalini energy is a vast and powerful potential in all of us, but we can spend our whole life not being aware of its presence.

There is no one way to achieve a Kundalini awakening. It is a process of self-discovery and spiritual growth and the goal should always be to bring about positive change in our lives.
With Kundalini Yoga practice it is possible to awaken the coiled snake sleeping at the base chakra and have it flow through the six chakras to reach the seventh chakra, or crown, waking up energy and clearing stagnancy along the way. The outcome is a powerful spiritual experience resulting in an expanded state of consciousness. This is called a Kundalini awakening.

In more recent years, KAP (Kundalini Activation Process) was founded by Venant Wong. It is a direct energy transmission that activates the Kundalini awakening process. You simply lie on your back on a yoga mat and while some music is playing, the facilitator touches or presses some of the chakra or meridian points on your body for the magic to happen. It is the path of surrender and not the path of will like in Kundalini Yoga where you generate your own energy to rise.

It is also true that some people can experience spontaneous Kundalini awakenings without any particular practice or interest in spiritual growth.

The benefits of a kundalini activation or awakening

The effects of awakening this energy can be physical, mental, emotional, or spiritual and can include a higher sense of life, expanded creativity and support to reach our full potential. It can also help to release stress and anxiety, improve cognitive function, boost self-perception and lead to spiritual enlightenment, increased energy, improved charisma, internal peace, empathy and much more.

The benefits of a Kundalini awakening are unlimited and even life changing. Read Kundalini Awakening – 10 symptoms to find out the 10 signs and symptoms of a Kundalini awakening.