Kundalini

What is Kundalini?

Kunda in Sanskrit means pit, cavity, pot. Kundal means coil and kundalini means that which is coiled.

Kundalini is the divine cosmic energy in our bodies. It is symbolised by a coiled and sleeping serpent. Snake is the symbol of kundalini.

This latent energy has to be awakened and made to go up the spine to the brain through Sushmna nadi, a channel through which the prana or the energy flows

Where is kundalini located? 

Seat of kundalini is a small gland at the base of the spinal cord. It is located at the base of the spine at the Mooladhara chakra.

In the Feminine body it is located at the root of the uterus in the cervix. In the masculine body, it is located in the perinium between the urinary and excretory organs.

How is Kundalini awakened?

It can be awakened by the regular practice of asanas, pranayama, kriya yoga, meditation. There are different ways to awaken it:
1. By Birth - in some people it is awakened by birth

2. Mantras, healing sounds, Music

3. Tapasya

4. consuming certain type of Herbs

5. Raja yoga, Hatha yoga
6.Pranayama
7. Kriya yoga
8. Tantric initiations
9. Shakthipat – initiation by guru
10. Self surrender

What happens when it is fully awakened?

Although kundalini is said to reside in mooladhara chakra, we are all at different stages of evolution and in some of us kundalini may have already reached swadhishtana, manipura or anhata chakra. Once it is awakened in Sahshrara a new consciousness, super consciousness emerges, experience and knowledge becomes completely independent and different parts of the brain gets activated and the person becomes fully conscious and reaches Samadhi.

 How was Kundalini discovered?

Man realised that in every individual there is a special form of energy. In some people it was dormant and in others it was evolving and in a very small minority it was actually awakened.

Originally man named this energy after gods, divinity, angels etc and then when he discovered prana and called it prana shakthi. In Tantra yoga it is called Kundalini.

How do Mudras, Bandhas and Granthis help in awakening it?
Mudras and Bandhas trap the prana and helps unblock the nadis and allows the prana to flow upwards.

Moola Bandha – When moolabandha closes the lower opening and traps prana and this helps to unblock the central sushmna channel allowing kundalini to rise.

Jalandhar Bandha – This closes the wind pipe and traps prana

Kechari Mudra – Closes top of sushmna trapping bindu.

Granthis are psychic knots in the physical body which are obstacles on the path of the awakened kundalini. The 3 granthis are Brahma, Vishnu, and Rudra granthi. And they represent levels of awareness where the attachment to material things,  ignorance, power of maya,  is specially strong. Each aspirant must transcend these barriers to make a clear passageway for the ascending kundalini.

What is the link between Nadis, Chakras and kundalini?

It is only when the energies in the Ida and Pingala nadis are completely balanced, Kundalini energy starts moving upwards in the central sushmna nadi. Ida and Pingala are like intertwined serpents and they intersect each other at 7 points along the spine and these intersection points are called Chakras.

If all the Chakras are awakened, can the Kundalini raise to Sahasrara?

It is not just the awakening of the chakras. The first step is to discipline the Ida and Pingala nadi. Only when both these nadis are disciplined and balanced, the prana can flow up.
The second step is that the chakras have to be awakened, meaning, there are no blockages in them and they are open.

The third step is the awakening of the suhmna nadi.
Only when all these 3 are disciplined and awakened, the Kundalini energy starts moving upwards.

Why does the serpent symbol of kundalini have 3 and half coils?

3 coils signify:

3 Matras of OM – past, present and future

3 Gunas – Tamas, Rajas, Satva

3 states of consciousness – waking, sleeping, dreaming

3 states of experience – subjective, sensual and absence of experience

3 coils signify the total experience of universe and the half coil which is opened up signifies the experience of transcendence.

Who can awaken Kundalini?

It is not only the saints and sadhus who have awakened kundalini. Poets, painters, warriors, writers, scientists and many others have awakened it. Kundalini is the creative energy. It is the energy of self expression. Awakening Kundalini is the prime purpose of human incarnation.