What Happens After Kundalini Awakening? (Explained)
The spiritual awakening of the kundalini is one of the most esoteric and mystical experiences in yoga.
The fact that this experience is elusive for most people only adds to the mystery surrounding it.
But, what happens when kundalini awakens?
The Hatha Yoga Pradipika likens the experience of kundalini awakening to a feeling of absolute bliss. The body and mind go through several psychic phenomena like perceiving strange sounds, smells, and visions, the feeling of an electric shock running through the entire body causing it to tremble, and everything finally culminating into the realization of divine union.
With all the distortion surrounding kundalini awakening and all the ways in which it has been misrepresented, this article throws light on the why, how, and what of this beautiful spiritual occurrence.
What happens after kundalini awakening?
The effects of Kundalini awakening can vary greatly from person to person.
Some people may experience physical sensations such as shaking, sweating, or feeling heat in the body.
Others may experience emotional upheavals, such as feelings of intense joy, fear, or sadness. Some may also experience psychological or spiritual changes, such as heightened awareness, greater insight, or altered states of consciousness.
In some cases, Kundalini awakening can also lead to temporary physical or emotional difficulties, such as headaches, insomnia, or feelings of anxiety or depression.
However, many people who have experienced Kundalini awakening report that these difficulties are eventually overcome, and that the awakening leads to a greater sense of well-being, spiritual connection, and personal growth.
It’s important to remember that Kundalini awakening can be a profound and transformative experience, and it’s not something that should be pursued lightly. It’s recommended to work with an experienced teacher or practitioner who can guide you through the process and help you navigate any challenges that may arise.
The Hatha Yoga Pradipika says that even one who has succeeded in awakening the kundalini cannot describe fully what the kundalini feels like.
Kundalini awakening experiences as described by accomplished yogis
A door seems to have been pushed open through which a flood of light flows
Kundalini Electric shock: Awakening by Yogi Swatmarama
Yogi Swatmarama, a sage in India who lived around the fifteenth sixteenth century, is best known for having composed the Hatha Yoga Pradipika.
There he describes in detail the entire process of kundalini spiritual awakening, including what happens when kundalini awakens:
“…This serpent power, when it awakens, it shoots through the body like an electric shock, and, trembling and amazed, the person realizes that a powerful event has taken place within him.
This is only the beginning.
The whole body trembles.
A door seems to have been pushed open through which a flood of light flows from some unknown world, a light of incomparable radiance.
After a long time, the trembling body becomes calm, but the flash of light shooting through the spinal column to the crown of the head is unforgettable.
This flash of light is not really the kundalini, however. It is merely a sign of its awakening.
The kundalini itself does not shoot up, but will later rise slowly, passing through the stations (the chakras), each of which creates another new and powerful experience.
When the sleeping Kundalini awakens by favor of a guru, then all the lotuses (in the six chakras or centers) and all the knots are pierced through.
By means of various postures and different Kumbhakas (yogic breathing exercises), when the great power (Kundalini) awakens, then the Prana becomes absorbed in Sunya (Samadhi). Samadhi is the ultimate stage of bliss and enlightenment…“
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When there are no thoughts of the world in the mind, know that Kundalini Shakti has awakened
Kundalini awakening by Swami Sivananda
Swami Sivananda was a Hindu spiritual teacher and one of the greatest yogis.
He has written several books on yoga.
His book on kundalini yoga, written in 1935, has in-depth descriptions of experiences on kundalini awakening.
“…During meditation, you behold divine visions, experience divine smell, divine taste, divine touch, hear divine Anahata sounds. You receive instructions from God. These indicate that the Kundalini Shakti has been awakened.
When there is throbbing in Muladhara, when hairs stand on their roots, when Uddiyana, Jalandhara, and Mulabandha come involuntarily, know that Kundalini has awakened.
When the breath stops without any effort, when Kevala Kumbhaka comes by itself without any exertion, know that Kundalini Shakti has become active.
When you feel currents of Prana rising up to the Sahasrara, when you experience bliss, when you repeat Om automatically, when there are no thoughts of the world in the mind, know that Kundalini Shakti has awakened.
When, in your meditation, the eyes become fixed on Trikuti, the middle of the eyebrows, when the Shambhavi Mudra operates, know that Kundalini has become active.
When you feel vibrations of Prana in different parts inside your body, when you experience jerks like the shocks of electricity, know that Kundalini has become active.
During meditation, when you feel as if there is nobody when your eyelids become closed and do not open in spite of your exertion when electric-like currents flow up and down the nerves, know that Kundalini has awakened.
When you meditate, when you get inspiration and insight, when the nature unfolds its secrets to you, all doubts disappear, you understand clearly the meaning of the Vedic texts, know that Kundalini has become active.
When your body becomes light like air, when you have a balanced mind in perturbed condition, when you possess inexhaustible energy for work, know that Kundalini has become active.
When you get divine intoxication, when you develop power of oration, know that Kundalini has awakened.
When you involuntarily perform different Asanas or poses of Yoga without the least pain or fatigue, know that Kundalini has become active.
When you compose beautiful sublime hymns and poetry involuntarily, know that Kundalini has become active…”
There is an explosion of Satya, a moment of Truth, when one sees everything as luminous.
Kundalini awakening by Swami NIRANJANANANDA SARASWATI
Swami Niranjanananda Saraswati is from the lineage of the Bihar School of Yoga, which he also headed for many years.
He has authored several books that have been published by the Bihar School of Yoga.
In one of his books – Prana and Pranayama – he talks about the experience of kundalini awakening which he calls the experience of cosmic prana.
“…When the full potential of this energy (kundalini) is released, it travels up through the Sushumna Nadi, bringing about a complete metamorphosis of the individual.
Cosmic prana and kundalini are synonymous terms. In awakening the kundalini, one unites with the cosmic prana.
At the time of the awakening, the two forces of prana and Chitta (mindset or state of mind) assume perfect balance within the individual and become one.
The mind undergoes a state of fission and energy issues forth.
There is an explosion of Satya, a moment of Truth, when one sees everything as luminous.
One experiences oneself in every object of the universe, every person, leaf, and rock.
The realization of cosmic prana is attained and the experience of separation dissolves.
People who have experienced this union are called saints or liberated beings, as they have transcended duality by taming the infinite, universal energy within the microcosmic unit.
The ultimate yoga is experienced at this level, where one discovers the abiding consciousness, sat-chit-ananda, truth, expansiveness, and beatitude…“
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Why does kundalini awakening happen?
In the context of kundalini yoga, the term “kundalini awakening” refers to the activation and awakening of the kundalini energy, which is believed to be located at the base of the spine.
According to kundalini yoga teachings, this energy is the source of all spiritual evolution and is believed to be responsible for the development of the body and mind.
It is believed that kundalini awakenings can occur as a result of various practices and experiences, including spiritual practices such as meditation, yoga, and chanting, as well as life experiences such as trauma, accidents, and intense emotional states.
Some people may also experience kundalini awakening spontaneously, without any specific practice or experience.
It’s important to note that the concept of kundalini awakening is not universally accepted in the scientific or medical community, and the effects and experiences of kundalini awakening can vary widely from person to person.
If you are interested in exploring kundalini yoga within your spiritual journey or have experienced a kundalini awakening, it’s always a good idea to consult with a qualified kundalini yoga teacher or a healthcare professional for guidance and support.
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How does the kundalini awaken?
In some schools of yoga, kundalini energy is also known as Shakti and is the highest form of prana (life force).
The word kundalini literally means ‘she who is coiled’.
It is often symbolized as a serpent lying coiled up at the Muladhara chakra located at the base of the spine.
Through the practice of kundalini yoga, this latent energy is awaken and sent up along the Sushumna Nadi (the primary energy channel) so she can join with Shiva or the divine consciousness, who waits for her at the seventh chakra, just above the crown of the head.
Why we need to awaken the kundalini?
The Hatha Yoga Pradipika, one of the most influential surviving texts on hatha yoga and one of the oldest sources on kundalini, says that the goal of hatha yoga is to awaken kundalini energy.
The reason why we need to awaken the kundalini is because when this energy awakens our energy centers, our dormant potential becomes alive.
These potentials could be our potential for happiness, better health, or our potential to fulfill our purpose on life.
It also makes all of our internal resources available to us, thus enabling us to access all of our courage and strength to align to our higher purpose.
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In Closing
Kundalini awakening is the ultimate spiritual experience that needs moral and spiritual preparation.
It takes years of dedicated practice to prepare the mind, body, and spirit for this experience.
Unless there is the purification of the vessel, which is the human existence, kundalini energy can mix with the practitioner’s negative energy and emotionality, which can lead to a manifestation of painful experiences.
Yoga practices that are meant for the spiritual awakening of the kundalini purify this vessel and make it ready and able to experience this pure and blissful state of being, something only one who has been successful in achieving can say what it really feels like.
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