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In the realm of spirituality, there exists a concept that captivates the imagination and curiosity of many - the Kundalini. With the term being rooted in ancient Indian traditions, Kundalini represents a potent force believed to reside at the base of the spine, holding the key to profound spiritual awakening and enlightenment. Despite it being an incredibly popular subject, it is also heavily misunderstood. In this blog, we explore the depths of Kundalini, unravelling its mysteries, considerations and potential dangers in order to understand its transformative power and how to safely and effectively harness it.
Understanding The Kundalini Energy
To comprehend Kundalini, we must delve into its origins, deeply entwined with the rich tapestry of Hinduism and Tantra, however the concept itself far exceeds a single tradition. The term "Kundalini" finds its roots in the Sanskrit language, derived from "kundal," meaning coiled. This imagery paints a vivid picture of a dormant serpent-like energy lying dormant within each individual, waiting to be awakened from its slumber.
The kundalini takes on a symbolic form of a coiled serpent that sits at the base of the spine. This serpent archetype has been interpreted in many different ways throughout history, with its most well-known aspect being a symbol for the primal force that persuaded humanity to eat the fruit from the tree of knowledge (if referring to christian mythology). Other interpretations show the serpent as a symbol of shedding what has been outgrown, non-attachment and fertility. In essence, both of these interpretations are somewhat correct. The kundalini can be seen as our personal gateway to the tree of knowledge that exists within the self and acts as the symbolic force of all spiritual attainment. The serpent appears coiled because it is reflecting the coiled sexual energy within society as we know it. Sexual energy is the gateway back to our authenticity as it is the energy of creation and self-expression. One's relationship with their sexual energy has a direct impact on their ability to create and shape their reality. In many traditions, the kundalini path is also referred to as the “path of the Dragon” as Dragons are symbols of the fully risen serpentine force that has mastered the forces of creation and destruction in the universe.
Because kundalini is driven by sexual energy, our ability to allow it to freely flow into co-creative self-expression is directly tied to our traumas. In our early years, we have no separation due to the ego not being fully developed yet, therefore everything that we experience in our early years is absorbed on the cellular level because we can’t separate ourselves from it (which is the role of the ego). So when we experience trauma, we are naturally going to conclude that it is our own fault. For this reason, anything intangible that affects the child’s self-esteem and expression, is going to have an impact on the flow of the sexual energy and depending on the level of trauma that is received, will affect how much of that energy we allow to flow into authentic self-expression (relationships, abundance, creative flow etc).
Taking all of this into consideration, it’s essential to understand that kundalini work is progressive and requires ongoing work to continue to harness its full potential. When we learn to actively raise and channel the force of the kundalini effectively, we step further towards our authentic self-expression and this fuels and accelerates the natural process of destroying what has been outgrown and creating the new in accordance with our truth. Therefore, fully working with kundalini will cause things to rapidly fall away from your life if they no longer serve your authentic self-expression. The rate in which you process trauma will also dramatically accelerate. One has to be ready to embark on this journey and when they are not or they resist the process by holding onto their older personas, this is when the adverse effects of kundalini awakening can be experienced.
Is Kundalini awakening dangerous?
In order to understand the adverse effects of kundalini, we need to look at what the energy actually does and the role it plays in spiritual evolution. The Kundalini energy is the “serpentine force of creation and destruction”. If we use the example of the Serpent archetype, in order for a Serpent to continue growing, it needs to shed its old skin - when this happens, it happens all at once. The Serpent needs to embrace the full destruction of the older skin, representing the older personas and parts of the self that no longer serve in order to be able to embrace its new form. If we relate this to our personal development, we cannot create a new reality when there isn’t any space for it, due to an attachment to an outgrown persona. We cannot embrace creation without destruction, much like we cannot be reborn without dying (energetically speaking). Embracing the serpentine path requires full surrender and trust in the forces of creation and destruction in the universe and accepting that we never get to a point where the work is done. The path of the serpent is about continuously growing into closer alignment with our soul’s evolutionary path and in doing so, shedding what we have outgrown like the serpent sheds her skin. Because this authentic state of being has been programmed out of us through false ideas of duality and patriarchy, the serpentine force is very distant to how we have been wired to function in our society. For this reason, one needs to be ready to embrace this path.
One of the primary dangers of Kundalini awakening arises from misguided or uninformed practice. Without proper guidance and understanding, seekers may inadvertently awaken Kundalini prematurely or disrupt its natural flow, leading to a host of physical, emotional, and psychological imbalances. Symptoms such as energy imbalances, intense emotional upheavals, and destabilised mental states can manifest, posing significant challenges to the seeker's well-being. History of mental illness and unprocessed trauma are factors that can contribute to adverse effects brought on by such practices. The psycho spiritual crisis, commonly referred to as Kundalini syndrome or Kundalini awakening syndrome, is characterised by a range of distressing symptoms, including insomnia, anxiety, depression, sensory overload, and altered states of consciousness. Without adequate support and guidance, individuals experiencing Kundalini syndrome may struggle to integrate their experiences, leading to prolonged suffering and disorientation. In the Draconian tradition, it is said that when one is ready to embrace the serpentine force, they ride the Dragon high into the cosmos but if one is not ready for such an endeavour, the Dragon will ride them instead.
How do you work the kundalini safely?
To navigate the potential dangers of Kundalini awakening, seekers are encouraged to approach their practice with mindfulness, reverence, and humility. Below are some key points to implement before exploring kundalini. This is to ensure that you have the necessary foundations to be able to integrate and ground the energies that you work with.
Consistent daily practices - daily practice is essential for keeping momentum with any endeavour that is in association with your personal development. These can include different types of meditation, chanting, breathwork, yoga and energy work. It is advised to have a solid foundational practice that you stick to.
Balance Physical and Metaphysical practices - it’s very important to maintain balance between energy work and physical practices. For example, it’s common for people to do loads of deep meditation but then lack a simple physical practice. Balancing both of these play an important role in regulating the nervous system so that you can effectively contain and ground the shifts that you undergo.
Shadow work and self-enquiry - a big gap in a lot of new age spirituality is the trauma work. We need to truly understand that what we encounter energetically and physically is always somewhat a mirror of what resides within the unconscious self and often what makes certain paths challenging is the resistance to what lies in the shadow. The shadow is the unconscious representation of the higher-self and is our way back to our true selves.
Remain open to all possibilities and embrace the unknown - many reach a point in their evolution where they need to fully face what cannot be known and this feels extremely uncomfortable initially for the ego due to that part of us wanting to create order from chaos. It’s important that the heart remains open to every possibility and is not attached to a particular story. A core attribute of serpent energy is non-attachment which involves learning to detach oneself from the stories of the past and the external world in order to remain open to every possibility for transformation and change.
Safely harnessing the Kundalini energy
There are various practices that are extremely effective in safely raising the kundalini and it’s important to understand that one method isn’t better or more effective than another as it highly depends on the individual. However, the key to harnessing the kundalini safely ultimately is patience and knowing your limits. It is a path that is progressive and builds in stages regardless of what approach you take so any practice you choose to explore in relation to kundalini should be approached with patience and caution.
However, A core practice that I now share with all of my students is Candali/Gtummo. This is a powerful healing modality that is rooted in Hindu and Tibetan traditions. There are also traces of it in Indonesia from the perspective of the occult. This modality raises the kundalini in a very safe and staggered way - starting with activating the navel, followed by the heart, third eye and crown. Advanced levels of Candali take the initiation process further by activating a more concentrated flow of Kundalini fire. The practice also requires at least a week of integration in between each initiation so the process demands patience. With this, you develop daily practice for building and maintaining the flow of the energy, whilst gaining access to a vast reservoir of powers for impeccable psychic protection, psychic self-defence and healing on all levels. This modality is a very effective way to start the process as it clears the serpent structure of any restriction that is preventing it from flowing naturally. Doing this will also greatly enhance any other kundalini practice whilst making them safer to execute and easier to ground.
Once all initiations of Candali are received, more advanced transmissions can be given to expose you to a much greater current of Serpentine energy. These can be found in my Serpent Rebirth Process.
Conclusion
In the quest for enlightenment, Kundalini stands as a beacon of hope and a gateway to the infinite. It beckons to all who dare to embark on the journey, offering glimpses of truth and glimpses of eternity. In the depths of Kundalini lies the essence of our truest selves, waiting to be unveiled and embraced. While the journey can be fraught with challenges and uncertainties, it is also a path of profound growth and transformation. By acknowledging the potential dangers inherent in Kundalini awakening and approaching the practice with mindfulness and discernment, seekers can navigate the terrain safely and embark on a journey of self-discovery and spiritual evolution with courage and grace.
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