Dear all,
This just came to my mind. I know what Kundalini is. At least I think I know. But I’m wondering what does it mean to awaken it?
I mean, Isn’t it the case that there’s always been a flow of prana coming up from Kundalini through Sushumna (at least for people who have some ecstatic conductivity)? If that’s the case, doesn’t it mean that the kundalini has always been active? Then what happens when kundalini “awakens”? Is it simply an increase in the flow of prana?
Chers,
Emil
The flow of Prana is always there, else we’d be dead. Kundalini refers to a thing or process that is triggered and begins to alter the body-mind in subtle ways. Associated with Kundalini are changes to energy flows in the body, but they are not synonymous.
The traditional and modern literature has flowery writings on what Kundalini is. Plenty of stuff on these forums too.
Or here is a nice summary from Christi (I don’t know which thread on the forum):
Thanks Josef and Tadeas,
Given that with the practices of SBP, Spinal Bastrika and Yoni Mudra we try to facilitate a flow of prana in the sushumna (to my understanding) can way say Kundalini awakening is simply an increase in this flow of prana upwards in the sushumna? Or is it like a secret switch suddenly being turned on?
My understanding is that in a person whose K is not awakened, the prana only just “leaks” through the Ida and Pingala nadis, enough to keep us alive, whereas when it is awakened, it rushes up the sushumna for the first time in large quantities.
Krish
Thanks Krish,
People, can we please have some comments on Krish’s note. Is it correct that before K awakening prana only goes up through Ida and Pingala and not through Sushumna?
I think it is a little complex then that according to certain scholars and writers. For example, Prana refers to many things, it is even found in the Vedic stuff. In terms of body, it permeates it all, and via function it is also apana, samana, udana, etc.
If I read the books correctly, it is more like what Emil says (both more prana and like a switch). This is discussed in Devatma Shakti by Swami Vishnu Tirtha. Then again, in Science of Soul by Shree Swami bvyas Dev Ji Maharaj, this does not apply, I think, since in that work, everything takes place in various sheaths or bodies (causal, bliss, prana, …). In Taoist I’m sure its different too. Various mystical schools like OOBE adherants (Echankar, Astro Dynamics, … ) have different explanations.
— jo-self
I posted this in another thread, but thought I’d post here as well b/c it seems relevant:
My “energy” started at the crown and 3rd eye, and has slowly been working its way down my spine. For instance, right now I have the energy feeling in my crown, 3rd eye and half-way down my back. During SBP I am able to perceive the energy going up my spine to the 3rd eye, but I still have very little perception of energy in my root and sacral chakras.
A few months back after having practiced pretty intensely, I did feel the root vibrating with energy quite strongly, and felt energy all over the place, and had the general feeling of “oh sh*t, what did I just get myself into!! Better hold on…” But after ~ 20 mins the feeling died down and I haven’t had the experience since.
So basically, even though I feel the energy in the upper 2/3s of my body, with little energy feeling from the root I have no idea whether my kundalini is awakened or not…
Any insights would be appreciated!!!
Parallax, I’m in a similar boat. My first energy sensations began in the head, from between the brows, to centre of brain, down the brain stem and usually only as far down as the bottom of the neck.
Once I also felt a ball of energy bouncing up and down at the base of the spine, which lasted about 10 minutes.
I’ve had sensations of heat in the solar plexus and heart chakras (at the front of the body) during cosmic samyama, but not in the corresponding locations in the spinal column.
I always thought it weird that the energy started in the head and it’s actually difficult to trace the spinal nerve below the neck, but I put that down to the head being more sensitive, and that the rest will come with time.
Parallax and light seeker,
I think the energy is normally felt where there’s resistance… that means you guys didn’t have any blockages in the lower parts of your body. I think.
But my question goes un answered…
Hi Emil,
I would say that before a kundalini awakening prana is present everywhere in the body in small amounts, flowing gently through all the nadis, including the sushumna. Most of the prana is stored in the pelvic area, and is released from here during an awakening.
There are many different ways in which an awakening can be experienced. Some are very dramatic, with a large release of prana. Of these kinds, the energy released can move up into the ida and pingala nadis or up through the sushumna. In the case of an ida/pingala nadi awakening, the energy is experienced as winding it’s way up the body in the way that a snake moves. It can cause the body to oscillate from the waist up.
In a sushumna awakening, the energy will move up the central channel (in front of the spine) in a straight line, going either up to the brow chakra, or up and out of the crown (through the brahma nadi).
In the case of an ida/pingala nadi awakening the energy will eventually be brought into the sushumna nadi as further purification and transformation takes place.
Many people also experience gentle forms of awakening where there is not a massive release of prana in a single event. The prana is released much more slowly and gradually fills the whole body with light. The end results of both dramatic and gentle awakenings are the same… whole body ecstasy, ecstatic radiance, a fully balanced and functioning chakra system and a fully purified, and illuminated body.
Christi
Hi Emil:
It is not a matter of energy being “off” or “on” in the several channels. It is flowing in all the channels to one degree or other at all times, both before and after kundalini awakening, as Christi points out.
A balanced kundalini (ecstatic conductivity) awakening will be in the center (sushumna), with ida and pingala experiencing increased flow as natural expansion from the center occurs (see Lesson 52 and Lesson 90). It can be gradual, or with sudden jumps from time to time, depending on mode of practice and past karmic factors.
It is also possible for an unbalanced awakening to occur (excess on one side or the other, or between top and bottom), due to unbalanced practice, karmic factors and/or lifestyle. Gopi Krishna is a famous example of a left/right (pingala) imbalance.
So it is not all of one channel and none of the others. The three main yogic channels (sushumna, ida and pingala) are a connected continuum in our subtle neurobiology, with a vast array of channels expanding out from these.
With effective practices, purification and opening will occur simultaneously across the board. It is best to work from the center, meaning from inner silence and from the spinal nerve. From those two all the rest will unfold naturally. This way we can spend our time driving the car with the main controls and enjoying the ride in daily living, rather than getting our head stuck under the hood trying to micro-manage what can take care of itself. 
The guru is in you.
Thanks Yogani and Christi,
I have a further question. Since childhood I’ve had a problem with my sinuses which results in one of my nostrils being blocked at all times. Lately I have added nauli and navi kriya to my train of practices (before SBP and mediation) and I’m feeling an increase of energy in my tommy. I might still be far from kundalini awakening but this makes me wonder if my sinus problem can result in a left/right unbalanced Kundalini awakening.
Hi Emil,
Spinal breathing pranayama works to purify the sushumna nadi directly, through the power of consciousness working together with prana inside the nadi itself. From there, purification radiates outward, clearing out blockages in the ida and pingala nadis equally and in thousands of other minor nadis throughout the body (as Yogani said above). In other words it does not rely on prana being drawn through each nostril for it’s effectiveness, and would even work if you were to breathe in and out through your mouth. Deep meditation (and all other kinds of meditation) will also have a purifying effect on the whole energy system in a balanced way. So there is no real reason why you should experience spiritual problems because of your sinus problem.
If your only spiritual practice was alternate nostril breathing and you could only breathe through one nostril, then you could be in trouble.
Have you tried jala neti (internal nostril wash)?
Christi
I have had that problem also due to allergies. I have found that if you go on a vegan diet (cooked vegetables and raw salad, no animal products including dairy) it will purify your body and the problem will clear up. I don’t follow that diet now, but occasionally go on it for a few months to clear things up. It solves a lot of other problems also.
Thanks Christi,
My original concern came from the fact that Yogani mentioned “karmic factors” and since I’ve had my nostril problem since birth I considered it to be karmic based. I’ve tried nostril wash with salt water which didn’t help. Neither did ayurvedic oils. The only time it temporarily opens up is when I practice nauli. That’s why I related it to aida and pingala. Anyway what I understand from your both posts is that there’s not much risk factor here.
Etherfish, I’m interested to try the vegan diet for a week or so. Is that long enough to get some results or does it need to be months long?
Hi all,
More on the kundalini awakening, Yogani used the term kundalini awakening equivalent to ecstatic conductivity. Does that mean kundalini awakening is a name for the process that happens at the begining of ecstatic conductivity or for when ecstatic conductivity increases to a certain treashold?
Eventhough I understand that ecstatic conductivity can increase very gently without too much discomfort and noise, for some reason I think every body deserves a kundalini awakening with fireworks and symptoms. It’s like a wedding day which isn’t all that fun and costs a lot but every body wants to have one. Is that a silly thing to say? 
It needs to be months long for deep cleaning. But in a couple weeks you can often relieve some allergy symptoms, so it depends. The trick is to give up all animal products which is meat, cheese, milk, butter etc.
An alternative diet if you can’t give up those things is to make your diet about 85% vegetable, with a good portion of that raw (salads), and a couple liters of water per day. No other drinks count as water (unless just a lemon slice or something added).
This works slower but still works.
Hi Emil,
Pretty much any issue is a karmic issue, because if you didn’t have any karma, you wouldn’t have any issues.
I would go along with Etherfish. If the nasal wash doesn’t help, try avoiding animal products.
Yogani has said elsewhere that kundalini is the name given to all phases of an energetic awakening. Ecstatic conductivity is something that is experienced in the body at times after an awakening. It may not be experienced all the time… it comes and goes in waves for a long time until it becomes a permanent aspect of existance.
Christi