Chapter
5

Kundalini: Be a Snake Charmer

Perhaps no yoga concept is more misunderstood, feared, maligned, and sought after than the concept of Kundalini. Yet no book about the chakras could be complete without it because Kundalini is an integral part of the entire chakra system. Kundalini has been discussed, debated, analyzed, and experienced by people practicing and studying yoga for thousands of years, but the secrets of Kundalini were always passed orally from guru to student. The student had to prove purity and discipline before learning the secrets. That is until Kundalini master Yogi Bhajan came to the United States and began to lecture publicly about Kundalini, beginning in 1969.

Since then, Kundalini yoga has become a widely practiced form of yoga, emphasizing awareness and the mobilization of the life force. Yogi Bhajan famously once said, “If flexibility of the body is the only yoga, then clowns in the circus are the best yogis.” In other words, Kundalini yoga (indeed, all true yoga) is much more than poses or asanas. In many traditions, that “much more” part has a lot to do with Kundalini.

As with any esoteric yoga concept that has been around for a while, different ancient and modern scholarly and popular texts discuss Kundalini in many different ways. Some directly contradict each other, and some are so steeped in the culture of India that they can be difficult for Westerners to comprehend. In this chapter, however, we’re going to minimize the esoteric part and get right down to what you really want to know: What is your own Kundalini energy all about, and how can you make it work for you?

What Kundalini Is

Kundalini is a Sanskrit term meaning (approximately) “coiled one.” Kundalini is also an ancient esoteric yoga concept that feminine energy lies coiled like a serpent at the base of the spine inside the first chakra. As Kundalini energy is awakened through spiritual practices like yoga, she desires to merge with masculine energy (sometimes represented as the Hindu god Shiva), so she rises up through each chakra as it opens, energizing and activating that chakra. The result is gradual awakening leading to enlightenment, and the intense activation of creative energy and spiritual awareness in the body. But if snakes freak you out, you don’t have to think of Kundalini in this way. Kundalini isn’t some foreign presence in your body. It is part of you.

Kundalini is divine power within you, which is separate from (and incomplete without) the divine power of the Universe. Kundalini yoga is a form of yoga that seeks to awaken and utilize Kundalini energy through poses, meditation, chanting, breathing exercises, and other techniques with the ultimate goal of realizing the individual’s inner divinity and oneness with God and all creation. It seeks to join the two, so you can realize and truly comprehend your own inner divinity and your connection with God, universal energy, or whatever the external, sacred force of life is to you.

When these two are yoked—your own divinity and universal divinity—through Kundalini-arousing techniques—you reach a new level of understanding, a sort of spiritual evolutionary leap forward. It isn’t necessarily a permanent leap; instead, it’s more often a glimpse of (or a temporary immersion into) your highest self.

Can you perceive, believe in, and awaken Kundalini without believing in any particular God? What if you aren’t sure about the whole Higher Power concept at all? No problem. Kundalini is the source of divinity within you. It is yours, and it is the catalyst for connecting to all life. But that can mean different things to different people. We can describe Kundalini only in mere words, which pale in comparison to the actual experience of it. This is about a universal quest for meaning, so rather than abandoning that quest over semantics, let that quest take you in a direction that makes sense for you.

Because Kundalini is a difficult concept to grasp, people often explain it using metaphors. One of the most common is that Kundalini is a goddess who seeks her male counterpart, Shiva. When aroused, she rises through the chakras to reach Shiva at the Crown chakra, where they merge in holy union. Remember, this is a metaphor, and it’s one that makes sense to people in India who are familiar with Shiva and the idea of other gods and goddesses.

But this metaphor might not work so well for you. After all, your spinal column isn’t a celestial hook-up spot. The idea of a union between Kundalini and Shiva simply represents the union of your consciousness with universal consciousness. It is a glimpse into the divine spark within you. To put it in more Western terms, Kundalini rising is like experiencing your own perfection by finally seeing your place in the universal scheme of things. This is the answer to “Who am I and what does it all mean?” When Kundalini reaches your seventh chakra, you know the answer to that question.

In Kama Sutra, this position arouses Kundalini and is called Shakti Expressing Her Energy with Shiva.

No, we can’t just tell you the answer to save time. Each person is a unique manifestation of divine energy. You are the only you in the Universe, and when you recognize yourself at last, that recognition will be entirely unique. According to yoga philosophy, we are all one, and we are one with the divine universal presence. However, at the same time, we are all different, too. During our time on Earth living in these bodies, we perceive our immense diversity. And yet, we also have the capacity to understand our ultimate unity. Pretty cool, right?

But it isn’t easy. You can’t just kick Kundalini awake and sit back waiting for the ecstasy to start rolling in. Awakening Kundalini for ultimate universal fusion takes time, preparation, and commitment (like any good relationship). Kundalini is one of the gifts we get in this life, along with our bodies, minds, and spirits. We can waste it, or we can use it to become better, happier, clearer, healthier, and more at peace.

What Kundalini Isn’t

You might be wondering about some of the things you’ve heard about Kundalini. If you read about Kundalini, you might run across references to the dangers of prematurely awakening the “serpent power.” Maybe you’ve read that when Kundalini moves, you can experience weird bodily sensations like intense heat or cold in the spinal column, feelings of fluttering or slithering, spontaneous movements of your body, and even hearing voices or hallucinating. We’ve even read about violent reactions to Kundalini awakenings, complete psychotic breaks, and death. That sounds pretty scary, doesn’t it?

Okay, you can stop worrying now. There are quite a lot of theories about the so-called dangers of awakening Kundalini, but the simple truth is that Kundalini is part of you, and inner awakening doesn’t hurt you. In many cases, people who have violent psychopathic episodes associated with supposed Kundalini awakenings already suffer from mental illness.

In other cases, people were so immersed in hours and hours of meditation that they threw themselves out of balance. When accompanied by fasting (on purpose or just because someone forgets to eat), the problem can be compounded through dehydration. Humans have incredibly complex minds and are susceptible to suggestion. Emotional and mental problems are fairly common in the human species, and sometimes these go hand in hand with the quest for religious experience or understanding of the self.

If you have emotional or mental problems, intense immersion into the quest for awakening Kundalini could result in some psychological issues, but it isn’t the Kundalini doing it. It is an imbalance within you, and that means you need to seek help from a professional who understands the context of your problems. We urge you to seek help from a counselor or therapist if you are suffering from an imbalance.

If you have physical, emotional, mental, or spiritual issues, your chakras won’t be healthy, balanced, and open. And that means Kundalini won’t rise. This is your body’s own internal security system. If, on the other hand, you are a sound, healthy person who is balanced and primed for a spiritual experience, you are ready for Kundalini to rise. You aren’t going to suffer a mental breakdown or drop dead because you practiced the Kundalini-awakening exercises in this book. We promise. When you are in an unhealthy state and you have a physical or emotional issue or episode, it is not Kundalini. It is something that needs to be addressed by a medical or mental health professional. If you find you are distressed by physical or emotional issues you’ve not been able to resolve on your own, please do seek care as soon as possible from a health professional.

Kundalini is a powerful internal force, for sure, but it’s your power. To repeat: If your chakras aren’t open and ready (meaning you are not open and ready), Kundalini can’t move up through them. They will keep Kundalini down by closing like little round doors. If your chakras are open and ready because you are physically, mentally, and spiritually balanced and strong, then you are ready for the transformative energy of Kundalini.

In Betsy’s practice, she has not encountered anyone experiencing the rise of Kundalini. She believes this is because people typically come to her when they feel out of balance, physically and/or emotionally. We’ve already said this, but we want to emphasize it again: When we are in a state of imbalance, Kundalini cannot rise. Betsy also believes that the rising of this intense energy is a fairly rare occurrence. It is hard work to bring awareness and attention to one’s own issues, and it’s even harder to change those aspects of our lives that are not working. We all have “stuff”—baggage and issues that limit our potential. When we work through one layer of our “stuff,” we often discover another layer, and another, and another! This is normal, and part of our contracts as human beings is to work through our issues so that we can be open vessels through which Kundalini energy can flow. But this might take a lifetime (or many lifetimes) of work! So stop worrying about Kundalini, and start working on paving the way for her future passage.

Preparing the Body for Kundalini

One of the ways the practitioner of yoga prepares for spiritual awakening is by practicing the Eight Limbs of Yoga, also called Ashtanga yoga. (Ashtanga means eight limbs or eight parts.) Most yoga paths mention and recommend following the eight limbs, even though many Western yoga paths mostly emphasize just the third limb—the asanas or physical poses. These are important, but they are not the only aspect of yoga.

The purpose of the eight limbs, which we explained in Chapter 2, is to help the individual fully integrate with universal divinity. They are like stepping-stones to make it easier. There have been those few who manage to achieve enlightenment without necessarily following all these steps, but the point of the eight limbs is to prime the body, mind, and spirit. Think of it as taking singing lessons to sing better. Some people have amazing voices without lessons, but most can benefit from some instruction and a lot of practice.

The Eight Limbs of Yoga are all things you can do in your daily life. They comprise a whole-self workout plan, covering the behavior, the body, the breath, the mind, and the spirit. You can look back to Chapter 2 for more detail, but just as a quick review, the eight limbs are:

• The yamas (healthy behaviors to practice, like nonviolence, truthfulness, and not stealing)
• The niyamas (things to observe, like cleanliness, inner contentment, and self-discipline)
• The asanas (the yoga poses)
• Pranayama (breathing exercises)
• Pratyahara (sensory withdrawal)
• Dharana (concentration)
• Dhyana (meditation)
• Samadhi (union with divine energy)

These are all goals to work toward, but this is good physical, mental, and spiritual work. The peripheral benefits of practicing the Eight Limbs of Yoga are amazing. You get physically and mentally stronger, calmer, more content, and more centered. The healthy open state of your chakras proves it. Regular practice of the eight limbs also primes your body, mind, and spirit for Kundalini to wake up and get moving.

But even then, Kundalini isn’t going to just suddenly zip up your spine and turn you into some levitating guru right in the middle of your dinner meeting. You have to be working on it, and if you are working on it, you will be ready for it. (And even when it happens, we’re sorry to say that you probably will not levitate.)

Getting Kundalini to rise is a long process of preparation. You might hear stories about people who experienced spontaneous Kundalini rising, but we believe that when this happens, it isn’t as spontaneous as it might seem. Those people really were ready. Or, it wasn’t Kundalini rising at all. It was something else. Rest assured that a focus on a healthy body and mind, which are reflected in strong, balanced, and open chakras, is a safe, sound, and ultimately rewarding path.

How Kundalini Moves

Kundalini might begin to stir when you get to that strong, balanced, healthy point (maybe you are already there), and you are practicing yoga or exercising regularly, eating a pure healthy diet, and spending time each day meditating or praying. It might happen during a yoga practice or especially if you are meditating.

When Kundalini begins to move, it feels like different things to different people. Some people experience a feeling of movement at the base of the spine, like a creeping or jumping feeling. Some feel heat in the spine. Others experience a flutter or the sensation of cold in the lower back. Sometimes, the feeling is dramatic, like your mind suddenly popping open. Sometimes, the feeling is subtle, as if Kundalini has moved just a little. You might feel a rising sensation at the base and moving up your spine, or you might not feel much movement at all. The way Kundalini manifests for you depends on who you are, the state of your body and mind, and what you are prepared to experience.

Betsy has a friend who slowly began to notice snakes everywhere in her environment—not only real snakes, but also pictures, cartoons, TV commercials, and books about snakes. Her friend was in the midst of deep spiritual work and took these signs as proof that Kundalini was rising.

Whether the sensation is dramatic doesn’t really matter. If you get too attached to the idea of making Kundalini move, you can throw yourself out of balance again. Remember, Kundalini is just you waking up. When that happens, you will enjoy a creative surge like you’ve never experienced before. You might feel suddenly filled with love, or you might feel deeply connected to everyone around you. The feeling might last for a while, or it might be fleeting. Let yourself feel it and see where it takes you.

When Kundalini moves, it can feel exciting, serene, or just interesting, but it’s not going to change your personality. What it can do is show you the best aspects of your personality that you might not have been allowing full expression. Just remember, Kundalini is part of you. Work on yourself, and allow your best self to emerge. That’s what it’s really all about.

No matter how often we tell people not to worry about Kundalini, some people still do. They worry about feeling something foreign or scary or going to a mental or spiritual place they can’t handle. The human mind is highly suggestible, but an authentic Kundalini experience is a beautiful thing. Personally, we believe that bad Kundalini experiences aren’t Kundalini experiences, but not everybody agrees with us on this point. In any case, if you ever experience disturbing physical sensations, thoughts, or feelings that are violent, self-destructive, or frightening to you, don’t try to deal with them alone. There are many wonderful, experienced therapists and health practitioners out there who can help you sort out what’s going on.

Kundalini Transformation

People often wonder what happens to them after Kundalini wakes up. Will they be the same? Will they be normal? Or will they become all weird and nobody will be able to relate to them anymore? Fear not. Those who engage in serious spiritual work and finally do experience Kundalini awakening report surges of creativity, brilliance, engagement in the world, an ability to help others, and other wonderful results. Some people believe that Kundalini awakenings are the source of great artistic ability and genius. Many also believe that as more people experience Kundalini awakening, the human race will take an evolutionary leap forward.

Perhaps Kundalini is a catalyst for activating our higher selves. We see the world changing around us every day in amazing and transformative ways. As the great teacher and peace activist, India’s Father, Gandhi said, “Be the change you wish to see in the world.” Those words have resounded throughout the world. As you awaken through the help of your own Kundalini energy, you will have the energy, the vision, and the inspiration to be that change.

Getting Started with Kundalini

In addition to practicing the Eight Limbs of Yoga, there are some specific exercises you can do that tone your chakras and manipulate your prana in a way that can encourage Kundalini to awaken. You can do this in many ways, including the following two exercises.

Cobra Pose (Bhujangasana)

Yoga’s Cobra pose evokes serpent power.

The Cobra pose is a simple yoga pose that actually imitates the shape and movement of a snake—an apt pose for awakening the serpent power. Because Kundalini starts in your first chakra, this pose is effective because it concentrates energy in that first chakra. Here’s how to do it:

1. Lie on your stomach on a yoga mat or a folded blanket. Place your hands on either side of you, palms on the floor, at the level of your chest. Keep your elbows hugging into the sides of your body. Stretch your legs out behind you and click your toenails into the mat.
2. Visualize your first chakra at the base of your spine. Press this area into the floor, along with the tops of your thighs, your knees, and the tops of your feet so that your entire lower body feels rooted to the ground. Keep your tailbone tucked in to prevent low back pain. Everything from the hips down should be pressing into the floor, but you should especially feel the area around the first chakra at the base of your tailbone rooting down into the ground.
3. Inhale and begin to lift your chest off the floor. Gradually rise up, using your arms for support without putting any pressure on your back. Your lower back moves inward and up.
4. Press your hands firmly into the mat, and imagine your hands moving back toward your hips as your heart and chest open, expanding forward. Breathe normally and hold this position for 10 to 30 seconds or as long as feels comfortable and energizing.
5. Exhale and slowly lower your chest and head back to the floor. Rest your forehead on the floor and breathe. Feel the energy accumulating in your first chakra. Repeat one or two more times.

Mula Bandha

Bandha is the Sanskrit word for lock, and bandhas are muscular contractions (locks) inside the body that seal off the nadis to concentrate prana. The three primary locks used in yoga practice and Kundalini work are:

• Mula bandha (or Root lock—a lock at the first chakra)
• Uddiyana bandha (or Abdominal lock—a lock at the third chakra)
• Jalandhara bandha (or Throat lock—a lock at the fifth chakra)

The bandhas are key for energizing the chakras and awakening Kundalini. To understand how this works, it helps to understand that within the body, there are different kinds of prana.

Without getting too technical, a kind of sub-prana moves upward through the sushumna nadi when you inhale, and another type of prana, called apana (a type of sub-prana), moves downward through the sushumna nadi when you exhale. One of its functions is to move spent energy out of the body. When prana and apana meet, they create a spark, which can awaken Kundalini. Getting them to meet means infusing the body with prana and holding it inside.

Mula bandha, or Root lock, is one of three primary bandhas. This one involves a muscular contraction of the pelvic floor, at the first chakra. Normally, apana moves downward, but with the first chakra locked, it gets trapped and moves back up, where it meets and mingles with prana. This causes a sort of combustion, an inner spark that can help to nudge Kundalini awake.

Regular practice of mula bandha can help your awareness expand beyond the boundaries of the physical world and material concerns, to a higher awareness. It’s a powerful exercise, but it’s not hard to do. Here’s how to do it.

1. Sit comfortably on the floor on a folded blanket with your legs crossed and your spine straight. Breathe normally.
2. Focus your attention on the first chakra, at the base of your spine. Feel the muscles on your pelvic floor all around the area where your body touches the blanket. Try to contract these muscles as if pulling the first chakra inward and upward. Relax. Do this a few times to get the feel of it. We don’t want to offend anybody, but for the sake of being clear, this contraction is what you would do if you were urinating and wanted to stop the flow while contracting the muscles around your anus at the same time. (If you’ve ever been instructed on how to do Kegel exercises, do that. It’s the same idea.) The movement is actually to contract and raise the entire pelvic floor so your internal energy moves up instead of down.
3. Now, take a long, slow, and gentle breath in. When you have filled up your lungs, hold your breath and engage those first chakra muscles. Hold your breath for 5 to 10 seconds, and then gently exhale. Release the lock. Repeat. For maximum effect, do this a few times every day.

As you’ve learned from reading this chapter and doing the exercises, Kundalini serpent power is an energy most profoundly nurtured by someone who has worked through a deep spiritual practice. If you understand the strength and purpose of each chakra and embark on a journey to release the healing power of the chakras in your life, then rousing Kundalini power might become possible for you. As in mula bandha, you may begin to feel your Kundalini energy coiled and waiting.