Can Kundalini Yoga Make You Sick?
Students new to kundalini yoga sometimes complain about feeling sick after a class. There are also those that experience sickness after a sustained practice.
Is it true that kundalini yoga can make you sick?
Kundalini yoga can make you sick if you do not prepare for the experience; sickness can be in the form of physical symptoms like fever, tremors, and chills and psychological symptoms like depression, panic, and hallucinations.
Preparation involves making the body, mind, and spirit ready to receive the energetic surge that happens when kundalini shakti rises through the seven chakras and reaches the crown of the head, where it meets with shiva.
This article discusses why you can feel sick after kundalini yoga and what you can do if this happens.
Let’s begin with understanding the reasons for feeling sick after kundalini yoga.
9 Reasons why you feel sick after Kundalini Yoga
Here are some reasons why you feel sick after kundalini yoga.
1. The organs begin to detox
One of the benefits of kundalini yoga is that it cleanses the body.
It stimulates the lymphatic system and improves blood flow.
It also massages and puts pressure on the organs, so they begin to detox.
There may sometimes be reflux, and the bile produced by the liver enters the stomach; when this happens, it can create a feeling of nausea and sickness.
2. There is a diversion of kundalini energy
The central energy channel, called the Sushumna, is the passage through which kundalini energy rises.
It runs along the spinal column in the center and passes through the seven chakras.
The Ida and Pingala are side channels that intersect the Sushumna at the chakras.
If kundalini energy diverts and enters the Ida and Pingala, it can create intense, unpleasant feelings, including spasms, burning sensations, and jerking.
This is known as experiencing a spiritual emergency.
3. There is a shift in the energetic plane
Whenever there is an energetic shift, the physical body goes through several changes.
Kundalini’s awakening creates a shift in the energetic resonance of a person. As a result, one can experience symptoms of an illness similar to those of the flu, hence the name ‘Ascension flu.’
There can be body pain, nausea, dehydration, an upset stomach, fever, and chills.
4. You push too far too fast
When the body and mind start experiencing change, it may feel like much progress is being made.
The process of kundalini awakening involves the churning of unprocessed emotions for cleansing to happen.
A practitioner needs to undergo this process slowly, so there is enough time and space available for past traumas and emotional upheavals to come up and then flush out.
When kundalini practices are undertaken without giving adequate time for these emotions to be processed, it can become difficult for the mind to cope and cause a nervous breakdown.
5. There is a sudden and adverse change in life circumstances
Unexpected and stressful life situations like the loss of a job, break up, death of a loved one, or a near-death experience, can trigger an unprepared movement of kundalini energy.
This sudden change can create a shift that is so spontaneous that it can dislodge the kundalini energy and create an unexpected rise or movement.
This can lead to experiencing negative emotions, hallucinations, mood swings, tremors, and increased body temperature.
6. Your body and mind are not prepared
This is the most important and perhaps the most overlooked step in the journey of kundalini awakening.
When kundalini rises, there is an intense surge of energy in the body.
It is so powerful that if the body and mind are not prepared to handle and receive this energy, it can lead to a host of physical and neurological problems like:
- intense fear
- paranoia
- altered states of consciousness
- respiratory problems
- hallucinations
- intense pains
- and increased heart rate.
7. There are errors in the practice of kundalini yoga
The knowledge and understanding of the theory of kundalini yoga are as crucial as the practice itself.
Studying the theory makes a practitioner aware of guidelines to follow, essential things to keep in mind, and tools and techniques that make kundalini awakening a safe and gradual process.
Not familiarizing oneself with the theory can lead to making errors in the practice, which can lead to experiencing sickness.
8. There are forced attempts to awaken the kundalini
There are specific methods that are much more powerful than others to make the kundalini rise.
In an attempt to fasten the process of awakening the kundalini, if pranayamas or other kriyas are forcibly done, the results can be dangerous.
Inducing an awakening by employing methods that are not in accordance with the level of preparation of the body can result in an energetic rise that is not spontaneous.
The resultant sickness can be physically and mentally debilitating.
9. Your practice is not balanced
There are two sides of a kundalini practice that need to develop at a similar pace for there to be balance.
One is awareness, and the other is equanimity.
The focus is often more on building awareness and insight rather than building a calm-abiding self.
When this happens, it can lead to losing a sense of self, developing an altered sense of reality, and feeling lost and confused.
Things to do if Kundalini yoga is making you sick
Best tips include:
Stay hydrated
Drinking adequate amounts of water will ensure that the toxins released from kundalini yoga are flushed out of the system.
Other ideas to stay hydrated include:
- Sipping on non-caffeinated herbal teas,
- Drinking a mix of lemon juice and warm water
- Drinking coconut water
Avoid any form of stimulants
Alcohol, caffeine, nicotine, drugs, and other foods and substances that stimulate extra energy should be avoided.
In the process of working with kundalini energy, avoid anything that can influence the way energy flows in the body because it can be detrimental to a safe awakening.
Try healing therapies
Therapies such as massages, chiropractic work, and restorative yoga poses can help restore physical and mental energies.
Prioritize calm practices over intense ones; a yin yoga class might work much better to soothe the body than a vinyasa.
Regular physical exercise that is mild helps with keeping energies balanced.
Spend time in nature
Nature has a calming and grounding effect.
Walking barefoot in the grass or on the beach is an effective way to release excess energy from the body.
Being surrounded by trees, gardening, or engaging in any activity that allows one to be close to nature is therapeutic for any energetic disturbances.
Have access to a guru
Working on the kundalini involves deep spiritual work, and there are many routes to this process.
A guru can guide an aspirant on the practices and methods to adopt based on the readiness of the aspirant.
Therefore, it is essential to work with a guru who is experienced and can customize the practice of kundalini yoga for the practitioner rather than working on a one size fits all approach.
It also helps to have access to people who can aid on this journey, for example, healers, therapists, and lightworkers.
Take adequate rest
If you are unwell or have any unresolved health conditions, you might experience further discomfort with kundalini yoga.
Make sure you are getting enough sleep, rest, and restoration.
Start small with fundamental practices and gradually build up depending on how your body and mind respond.
Take a break from your practice if you need to, and do not overstrain.
Do purification practices
If kundalini yoga makes you sick, Hatha yoga lays down six practices that can purify the body and clear the passageway for energy flow.
These practices are known as Shat karmas and are Dhauti, Basti, Neti, Nauli, Tratak, and Kapalabhati.
‘Deha suddhi’ or purification of the body will remove any physical blockages that can create the feeling of sickness.
Be open to the experience
Being prepared for some discomfort can help ease into the experience of kundalini awakening.
Rather than feeling disturbed by the disturbances, allow yourself time to sit with what is happening.
Journaling is an excellent way to notice the shifts and recognize the intensity and frequency of what you are experiencing.
Honor the discomfort by giving it time to heal.
Wanna know more? 👉 Here How to Awaken Kundalini Energy Safely
In closing
The process of kundalini awakening can be as emotional as it is spiritual.
The importance of self-care during this time cannot be overstated.
Also of utmost importance is adopting a non-competitive and compassionate attitude towards the self. It is ok to take time with spiritual progress and make it a deeply personal activity.
A lot can be said and read about kundalini awakening and what it is like.
In this video, Sadhguru, an Indian yogi and mystic and the founder of Isha Foundation, sheds light on kundalini energy, how it can be activated, and what it can lead to in a person’s life.
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