Kundalini Energy

(Extracts from the Kundalini chapter of the Eastern Medicine course that John has written and will teach on tour beginning February 2013)

For thousands of years kundalini awakening has been viewed in many cultures as a primary goal and the greatest blessing one can have in a lifetime. The nature of this blessing can take many forms because the range of possible experiences caused by the activation of kundalini encompasses all mental and physical types of experience as well as all transpersonal and transcendent types of experience.

The average person has a fairly mundane concept of experiencing consciousness. It is usually confined to the concepts of waking, dreams, and deep sleep. These simple states define our experience of the world and the degree of awareness we have about all our daily activities. Our focus identifies us with the general functioning of the mind and body and we then become bound by the limitations of this concept.

The fact is that there are many other dimensions of consciousness, which are all aspects of universal consciousness or Self. Kundalini is the primary energy coming from Zero Point Field that represents the primary Consciousness that can give the Self the ability to ultimately know its Self in complete unity Consciousness. This enables the individual supraconscious intellect to transcend the limited ego-awareness and lower instinctual brain impulses.

In that process of awakening and transformation, kundalini runs Shakti - the power of pure Consciousness - through all the systems of the subtle body and physical body; healing, purifying, expanding, breaking through blockages and burning through karmas.

Because each individual has a different karmic makeup, the changes being worked on by the kundalini energy will be unique for each person. One of the hardest things about going through the healing and cleansing process of kundalini transformation is that the individual ego may be reticent about having to deal with specific karmic issues that are held in our soul. This can bring about experiences that do not appear to relate to our current lifespan. However, because the kundalini is working on the complete individual, including all the aspects relating to the many lives of the soul, the process is profound and all-encompassing.

Common terms used for the process of kundalini awakening:

Metamorphosis, spiritual alchemy, spiritual acceleration, the inner marriage, the sacred marriage, The Passion and even The Great Bliss.

Other names that could be included in the definition of the kundalini energy:

Prana, Qi, Mana, Wilheim Reich's orgone, Ken Wilber's Spiritual Eros, Freud's libido, etheric energy, vital life-essence, vital energy, or life force.

Other names for kundalini used in different languages:

Ka, ichor, inua, sila, manetuwak, oloddumare, qi, Tao, ki, aether and quintessence.

General Discussion

Kundalini is the underlying energy source for the entire bodymind complex. All the energy systems such as the acupuncture meridians, chakras, and terms such as Qi, Prana, and life force energy, are all just different aspects of kundalini.

Kundalini represents the energy of the manifesting consciousness, which is then broken down into different functional aspects of consciousness as represented by the different energy systems. Each of these systems represents different levels of consciousness, and influence the body in different ways. These differences in function are the topic of this course in Eastern Medicine.

 
From a functional point of view, the kundalini specifically affects the brain and central nervous system. It is considered that the nervous system is a physical representation of the kundalini. This is further indicated by the observation that most overt activities of the kundalini can best be described in neurophysiological terms.
 
Most of the literature on kundalini focuses on the phenomenon of what is called kundalini being awakened, or aroused, from its slumber. This is a very important subject that needs to be understood by literally everyone involved with health care or spiritual pathways. In the meantime, we must realize that all the energy functions of the body are expressions of kundalini.
 
There is, however, a very powerful aspect of kundalini that is not experienced by the average person. The concept is that the strongest aspect of kundalini lies in potential at the base of the spine. Anatomically, it is suggested that there is a small structure with a unique crystalline formation that lies just below the tip of the coccyx.
 
The Four Aspects of Kundalini
 
There are four ways that the kundalini can manifest:
 

1. The first aspect is common to everyone. The kundalini maintains the entire existence of our body, mind and spirit.
2. Kundalini can arise as a temporary state in order to assist in some process of conflict resolution within the body. The symptoms can go from a mild shaking of the body during a healing process to quite violent neurological symptoms such as seizures and migraines.
3. Pathological kundalini: the kundalini is forced to awaken by using aggressive techniques, or all major life conflicts. This is a serious situation as it is often long-lasting and can be detrimental if the person's body and mind is not suitably prepared.
4. The kundalini potential in the kundalini gland below the tip of the coccyx is awakened as a natural consequence of life activities a seeker may be undergoing. This then becomes an ongoing lifetime experience.  

1. Kundalini maintains body, mind and spirit.

This does not need further discussion.

2. Awakening the kundalini temporarily
 
Small surges of kundalini energy can happen to anybody because of various situations. The kundalini energy is said to have very high levels of consciousness and hence, the wisdom of this consciousness, combined with the strength of the kundalini energy, will mean that the body can use small surges of kundalini energy as a healing mechanism for any conflicts that are going on.
 
The most common symptoms involve involuntary movements, which, combined with the wisdom and energy, will clear blockages in the system. Typically, the kundalini will help clear such things as active memory, habitual pathological patterns in the nervous system, and it would even help to detoxify the system. Sometimes, when a person is undergoing therapy or going through paradigm shifts in their life, the kundalini will facilitate this, and significantly speed up the healing process.
 
Other factors that could stimulate a temporary awakening of kundalini can include:
 
Ecstatic religious experiences, sexual orgasms, trance dancing, meditation techniques, the chanting of mantras, advanced breathing techniques (including rebirthing and holotropic[1] breathing), and the presence of a powerful spiritual teacher. Typically, if the kundalini was meant to be temporary, it will go dormant again once it has done its job.
 

3. Pathological Kundalini

Psychotropic drugs can awaken kundalini in a pathological way. This usually means that it stays awake and starts acting on a nervous system that is not equipped to handle this type of energy. This can lead to severe neurological disorders particularly around brain function. Mental disorders will commonly occur in this situation.
 
There are also many techniques designed to force the awakening of kundalini that can result in pathological kundalini with bad consequences. (Covered in more detail in the Eastern Medicine course.)
 

4. Permanent kundalini awakening

This is usually as a result of long-term spiritual practices or pathways, which will be discussed at length in the Eastern Medicine course.
 
Some typical Kundalini Symptoms
 
Temporary kundalini activity: Involuntary shaking, muscle twitching, arm waving, rocking or bouncing, sudden tipping back of the head, vibrating, cramps, itching, prickling, tingling, and facial contortions, distinct changes in breathing patterns, intense temperature changes within the body, nausea, severe dizziness, diarrhea, intense jerking of parts of the body, involuntary laughter, involuntary crying, hypersensitivity within the subtle sense of smell and other subtle senses, the mind going very still, the mind becoming extremely agitated, feeling as if the back has hundreds of little snakes streaming over it.
 
More severe symptoms will include panic attacks, insomnia, psychic phenomena, and a feeling of intense overwhelm.
 
Other symptoms can be very pleasurable, such as strong sexual energy flow along the spine or, in some cases, the whole body. There can also be enhanced perception and periods of immense clarity and creativity.
 
Physiological disruptions: There can be the tendency for the emergence of previously dormant epigenetic diseases or pseudo diseases such as apparent heart problems, gastrointestinal disorders, nervous energy and hyper-activity, eating disorders, dramatic rushes of heat and cold, roving pains throughout the body. These diseases will be resistant to classical medical therapy and their symptoms will often not be consistent with the diagnosis.  The diseases will often appear and disappear spontaneously.
 
Psychological challenges: There will be an exaggeration and intensification of any previously unresolved psychological issues. Major mood swings can occur, as well as a fear of insanity, with waves of anxiety, guilt, and depression. These symptoms can be interspersed with strong waves of compassion, unconditional love, and a deep understanding of the emotional states and needs of the people nearby.
 
Supramental experiences: A deep understanding of the interplay of life and the nature of synchronicity with a clear awareness of the reason behind many occurrences. Very strong intuitive ability often combined with increased healing abilities and significant expansion of creativity.
 
The importance of understanding Kundalini
 
Because of the strong relationship between neural activity and Kundalini, there is a rapid rise in the manifestation of kundalini symptoms throughout the world. (All electrical devices play a major part in irritating the nervous system.) It is imperative that we understand the nature of these problems as they are usually misdiagnosed and misunderstood.
 
Therapeutically, Kundalini symptoms do not respond to classical health care approaches. This includes energy medicine and psychology.
 
The Eastern Medicine course that is being taught through the International BodyTalk Assn. is designed to give a deep understanding of the interaction of Kundalini with the brain, nervous system, and all the other energy systems of the bodymind complex.
 
It also will teach management strategies for the symptoms as well as treatment protocols when they can be utilized. Do not miss this great opportunity to understand the fastest rising health care issue of the future.