Kundalini

Kundalini is derived from a Sanskrit word meaning either "coiled up" or "coiling like a snake"; there are a number of other translations usually emphasizing a more serpent nature to the word—'serpent power' or suchlike.

It is a term in yoga referring to the mothering intelligence behind yogic awakening. According to Yogic phenomenology a large part of this awakening is associated with the appearance of bio-energetic phenomena that are experienced somatically by the yogic candidate, also referred to as Pranic awakening. This intensified, uplifted life-energy is called pranotthana. Pranotthana is supposed to originate from an apparent reservoir of subtle bio-energy at the base of the spine. The energy is also interpreted as a vibrational phenomena that initiates a period, or a process of vibrational spiritual development (Sovatsky, 1998). According to the Yogic tradition Kundalini is curled up in the back part of the root chakra in three and one-half turns. Yogic philosophy understands this energy as a maturing energy that expresses the individuals soteriological longings. Viewed in a mythological context it is also sometimes believed to be an aspect of Shakti, the goddess and consort of Shiva.

Kundalini is a popular concept that is widely quoted among various disciplines of yoga and New Age beliefs. However, the recent popularization of the term within new religious movements has - according to some scholars of religion - not contributed to promote a mature understanding of the concept (Sovatsky, 1998). As with many eastern contemplative concepts there exist considerable difficulties, and possible semantic confusion, connected to the way these concepts are adapted and intepreted in the the west. This has led to somewhat different interpretations and applications of the concept of Kundalini within the spiritual and contemplative culture in the west. On the one hand you have the New Age popularizations, on the other hand you have the traditional lineage of Kundalini Yoga understood from its cultural background and interpreted within the academic fields of Religious Studies and Transpersonal/Humanistic psychology.

Two early western interpretations of Kundalini was supplied by C.W. Leadbeater (1847-1934), of the Theosophical Society, and the Analytical Psychologist Carl Gustav Jung (1875–1961) (The psychology of Kundalini yoga , Princeton: 1966).

Kundalini Yoga

Kundalini Yoga is a meditative concept—or a system of meditative techniques and movements—within the yogic tradition that focuses on psycho-spiritual growth and the bodys potential for maturation. The concept of life-energy is central to the practice and understanding of Kundalini Yoga. It also gives special consideration to the role of the spine and the endocrine system in the understanding of yogic awakening (Sovatsky, 1998). Recently there has been a growing interest within the medical community to study the physiological effects of meditation, and some of these studies have applied the concept of Kundalini Yoga to their clinical settings (see references below).

Raising the Kundalini

According to Yogic terminology the force of kundalini is supposed to be raised through meditative exercises. As it raises from the root-chakra up through the spinal channel, called sushumna, it is believed to activate each chakra it goes through. The higher it gets, the more spiritual a person is supposed to be. In raising kundalini, spiritual powers (siddhis) are also believed to arise. According to much contemporay spiritual literature it is not considered wise to engage in this sort of practice without the guidance of a credible teacher, or without thorough foreknowledge and education in yoga. Transpersonal Psychologists extend this warning and consider any intense contemplative or spiritual practice without the support of strong psychological groundwork to be unfortunate, or even dangerous.

Spiritual literature also describe a situation where Kundalini can be initiated. Initiation of kundalini activity is usually considered to take place by a form of 'laying on of hands', or shaktipat, where physical contact to the body or the forehead of the subject by the guru or initiator is supposed to cause an experience of kundalini that later may persist or grow with continuing practice, or fade away if practice is neglected. Eye contact during satsang with the guru is also supposed to cause this experience. Within the context of spiritual literature inadvertent kundalini experiences have also been reported to take place when subjects physically contacted powerful gurus, such as Meher Baba, by accident.

Kundalini in the world's religions

Kundalini as a spiritual experience has been thought to have parallels in many of the mystical traditions of the world's great religions. The early Christians might have referred to the concept as as 'pneuma', and there are some recent parallells in contemporary Christian Charismatic 'Holy Ghost' phenomena.

Religious studies also note parallells in Quakerism, Shakerism, Judaic davening (torso-rocking prayer),the swaying zikr and whirling dervish of Islam, the quiverings of the Orthodox hesychast, the flowing movements of tai chi and the ecstatic shamanic dance (Sovatsky, 1998).

The Kundalini Syndrome

The academic fields of Humanistic psychology, Transpersonal psychology and Near-Death Studies describe something called The Kundalini-syndrome, a complex psychological and somatic syndrome—or process—involving a pattern of motor, sensory, affective and cognitive/hermeneutic symptoms. This psycho-somatic arousal and excitation is believed to occur in connection with prolonged and intensive spiritual or contemplative practice (such as meditation or yoga). It might also occur spontaneously as a result of intense life experiences, or a close encounter with death, a near-death experience (Greyson 1993, 2000; Scotton, 1996; Lukoff, 1998). If the accompagnying symptoms unfold in an intense manner—that de-stabilizes the person—the process is usually interpreted as a Spiritual Emergency (Lukoff, 1998).

Interdisciplinary dialogue within these particular schools of psychology has now established some common reference-points regarding this condition (see references below). Motor symptoms are thought to include tremors, shaking, spontaneous or involuntary body-movements and changes in respiratory function. Sensory symptoms are thought to include changes in body-temperature, a feeling of energy running along the spine or progressing upwards in the body, a feeling of electricity in the body, headache and pressure inside of the head, tingling, vibrations and gastro-intestinal problems. Cognitive and affective symptoms are thought to include psychological upheaval, stress, depression, hallucinations (inner visions or accoustical phenomena), depersonalization or derealization, intense mood-swings, altered states of consciousness, but also moments of bliss and deep peace (Sannella, 1976; Greyson 1993, 2000; Scotton, 1996). Within the mentioned academic traditions this symptomatology is often referred to as the Physio-Kundalini syndrome (Sannella, 1976, Greyson 1993; 2000) or Kundalini-experience/awakening (Scotton, 1996; Lukoff, 1998). Greyson (1993) developed The Physio-Kundalini Syndrome Index in order to measure the degree of Physio-Kundalini symptoms among Near-Death experiencers. Most researchers within this field believe that the core of the process is not pathological, but maturational, even though the symptoms at times may be dramatic (Greyson, 1993; Lukoff, 1998)

According to the field of Transpersonal Psychology the Kundalini-syndrome is largely unknown to Western psychiatry. Many writers within this field are consequently working towards a clinical approach to the problem. Possible improvements in the diagnostic system that is meant to differentiate the Kundalini-syndrome from other disorders have been suggested (Hansen, 1995; Herrick, 1996; Scotton, 1996; Sovatsky, 1998; Lukoff, 1998; Grabovac & Ganesan, 2003).

Kundalini and physiology

Contemporary spiritual literature often notes that the chakras as described in the esoteric kundalini documents bear a strong similarity in location and number to the major endocrine glands, as well as nerve bundles called ganglions. One speculation is that the traditional practices have formalized a method for stimulating the endocrine glands to work in a different mode which has a more direct effect on consciousness, perhaps ultimately by stimulating the release of DMT by the pineal gland, which may be analogous to the 'pineal chakra'.

Within the transpersonal field Sovatsky (1998) has put forward the hypotheses of post-genital puberties. The possibiliy of viewing pranotthana (yogic terminology for intensified life-energy) and the larger Kundalini process as a maturation of body and character beyond conventional psychological growth. He has also made some criticism about the tendency—of much contemporary alternative culture—to frame the concept of Kundalini in a New Age-vocabulary. A tendency that might hinder a mature understanding of the subject. The interpretation of Kundalini as a developmental, or maturational phenomena, was first suggested to the west by the Indian Pundit Gopi Krishna, whose autobiography is entitled Kundalini—The Evolutionary Energy in Man (Boulder: Shambhala, 1971).

Kundalini

Kundalini Yoga

Raising the Kundalini

Kundalini in the world's religions

The Kundalini Syndrome

Kundalini and physiology

Further reading - Books and Articles

General and Academic

Kundalini Yoga in medical research

The Kundalini Syndrome — Clinical and Academic discussion

External links

Research on Kundalini Yoga

Clinical approaches to the Kundalini syndrome

Miscellaneous

Spiritual