This is a quick note from 2022 Jim Tolles.

I want to caution people about concluding that anything is Kundalini before doing serious work to figure out what may be going on with you.

In my years of experience since 2010, I’ve consistently found that the people talking about kriyas, body shaking, and other “Kundalini” symptoms are actually going through a trauma release process. The body is trying and struggling to release physical tensions. If this is you, the appropriate form of help is to find a qualified trauma therapist.

So please keep these thoughts in mind before you decide that you are having Kundalini experiences.

I occasionally get asked if Kundalini is dangerous, and it’s an interesting question to answer. Firstly, I have to figure out what assumptions people have about Kundalini and spirituality. I also have to find out what their intentions are. A lot of people come to the spiritual path with a lot of different intentions. Very few actually want spiritual freedom, and Kundalini energy is a doorway towards spiritual freedom.

On that note, let me cover a couple basics to best answer this question.

What is the Kundalini System?

Kundalini is an energy system, or rather it’s a way of expressing how energy can flow inside of people. It tends to focus on three channels in and around the spine. If you are interested in the specifics, I recommend researching it. But be diligent. There are a lot of people saying a lot of things about it.

What Does Kundalini Energy Do?

The way I understand it is that Kundalini energy does basically nothing until it is “awakened.” When awakened, the energy flows through the channels around the spine and pretty much everywhere in someone’s body. The result of this flow is a dissolution of the ego. It’s kind of like wiping the software off the hard drive, and then it also alters some of the hardware too as the person is returned to a natural state from which they can grow naturally.

Is Awakening Kundalini Energy Dangerous?

This is the real question that people have. Unless awakened, Kundalini energy is inert, according to what I understand about that system. So that’s not dangerous.

However, once moving, the awakened Kundalini energy starts to dissolve the ego and open a person to the truth. That’s when things get interesting.

Let’s use a metaphor of a large farm near to a closed dam. The closed dam is the inert Kundalini energy. The open dam is the moving Kundalini energy. If the farm has been prepared with channels to guide the water and had rocks and debris removed, the water flows into it. It nourishes the fields, and the seeds can now grow and bear fruit. If the farm is not prepared, the rocks and debris block the flow and create pressure points. The topsoil may be washed away along with the seeds. Really, the flood makes a big mess.

So, it’s not that the Kundalini energy is “dangerous.” It’s that people must be prepared for a Kundalini awakening (which is a subset of spiritual awakening in my terminology; not everyone who awakens feels energy in the spine area). If someone is prepared, it will likely be intense, but the person transforms (the crops grow in the soil). If someone is not prepared, they are likely to resist and cause a big mess (washed away seeds and topsoil).

Can this ego resistance cause serious psychological and physical problems? Yes. It can. That’s why you should find a spiritual teacher who has awakened and can properly prepare you before kicking a hole in this dam. The right teacher can also help you to flow through a process that generally is really intense even when you are prepared and surrendered to the transformation process.

How Can I Awaken My Energy?

I strongly recommend doing some serious soul searching and talking with people who have had a spiritual awakening before deciding to try and awaken your energy. And you most certainly should not try this on your own. A spiritual awakening of any kind will not fix every problem in your life. It will not bring you a safe life or a happily ever after. Instead, it will dissolve your ego and show you the truth, and that can start you on the path of spiritual freedom.

For more thoughts on spiritual freedom, I recommend reading this post:

How to Find Spiritual Freedom

Here are some more thoughts on Kundalini energy as well:

Kundalini Awakening and Kundalini Experiences

Author

I'm a spiritual teacher who helps people find freedom from suffering.

1 Comment

  1. In 2020, I had a spontaneous Heart opening and Kundalini awakening. I was noticing prompts from my body to do deep breathing and rhythmic drumming on my chest while listening to music. All of a sudden it felt as if my center of gravity dropped through the seat of my car and I became pure presence. Since I'd been doing so much inner work over the years, practiced mindfulness, and found a "teacher" to work with, I was able to manage it for a good while until a Hara awakening occurred in Nov. 2020. I have, to this day, a lot of spontaneous movements that feel quite primal and like an animal orienting to it's environment. I wonder about the differences between a Hara awakening and Kundalini. Have you written about this before?
    Thanks for all your offerings and your candidness.

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