
***NOTE: This photo series is by Monika Ottehenning and I do not own the rights. This imagery fits beautifully.***
“When you succeed in awakening the Kundalini, so that it starts to move out of its mere potentiality, you necessarily start a world which is totally different from our world. It is the world of eternity.”
Carl Jung
A Kundalini Awakening happens to about 24% of the population and most of the time it is written off as a physical condition, instead of a spiritual condition that is manifesting in the physical.
The word Kundalini (Sanskrit) means ‘coiled like a snake’ which seems appropriate since it is the life force energy that sits at the base of the spine, bound, and awaits for the awakening.
Kundalini, being feminine itself, is often associated with Shakti, the feminine life force, or sexual energy.
An awakening can happen intentionally through Kundalini Yoga, or other various Yoga poses, but it can also be unintentional, say a back injury, a fall or extreme emotional distress. Some experts say that child birth, meditative practices, and celibacy may also contribute to the awakening. In my case it was a mixture of celibacy and yoga practices; when I had my spiritual awakening, I knew I needed to focus on myself and that meant I had to cut off sexual encounters; the best decision I have ever made.
Before my awakening I would not have shown such restraint.
Celibacy is a personal choice, and one that not many understand. I consider myself to be an extremely sexual, and sensual being and am often told it oozes from my Soul, but I don’t need to be actively engaging in sexual encounters with no depth to be considered sexual; just one of the many lessons my awakening has shown me.
In the past, I didn’t know my worth and I would freely give my sexual energy away.

When your Kundalini energy decides to awaken, it is a sudden pulsating surge that moves up the spine like a serpent and as it moves it blasts open your chakras, one by one.
Most people stay at one level of consciousness for long periods of time, what the Kundalini does is it rips open your third eye, and brings to light any emotions, or wounds you are hiding in the depths of your chakras.
Here is an excerpt from a great book on the topic called Psychotherapy and Spirit:
“As each chakra opens, new levels of consciousness are revealed. Since the consciousness of most people is fairly restricted, the opening of the chakras is accompanied by consciousness expansion and purification of the limitations or impurities that correspond to each chakra.” -Brant Cortright, Ph.D.
I can attest that it is probably the most painful experience one can have, because you are being attacked, for lack of a better word, on a spiritual, physical and emotional level but it is yourself who is the attacker.
Often times Spiritual folk want to make this awakening out to be a beautiful experience, and for some it might be, but the Serpent is notorious for it’s powerful and unforgiving transformative powers.
How do you know if you are experiencing an awakening?
You will usually feel a tingly, pressure from your tailbone up your spine and through the crown chakra; I am known to have blockages in between my shoulder blades, that is where my emotionally chaotic energy is stored when I have not meditated in a while.
Some of the physical symptoms of this awakening are: sensations of heat, tremors, involuntary laughing or crying, talking in tongues, nausea, diarrhea or constipation, rigidity or limpness, animal-like movements and sounds.
The Kundalini energy is a yogi philosophic form of Shatki. If you are not familiar with the term Shatki, it is the female principle of Divine energy, especially when personified as the supreme deity, Durga.

Since the Kundalini energy is feminine, even though both sexes carry it, it makes sense to refer to Kundalini as a form of Shatki.
A side effect that I have heard many women experiencing during this specific awakening is they become prone to yeast infections. The vagina, Sacral and Root Chakras are considered the Feminine Shatki centers in our body; when that is out of whack, it triggers all types of physical manifestations, even though it is a spiritual issue.
So, please listen to your body and treat it accordingly.
I am going to give some tips that have helped me get through this process, one that I still have good days and bad days with.
The number one thing that has helped me is my piece of Jet. There is a property within this specific crystal that when it is worn between the breasts (on a male or female) it takes the Kundalini energy and allows it to be released through the crown chakra. This can cause a slight light headed feeling, a flood of memories, or even tired feeling, but you must release the energy if you do not have time to sit and meditate to get control of it.
Secondly, meditation is paramount. While in your meditative state you must find your snake, in most cases you will see a field of snakes, but you must single yours out; allow the snake to come to you then you must take control of her, and allow her to coil her energy around your left hand. Let her know that you are in control, but pay respect to this Divine feminine energy while doing so.
Also, yoga or some kind of stretching is essential to the Kundalini process. As a beginner yogi I realize that Yoga is hard for many, but there are some poses that everyone can do to some degree that will benefit the release of built up energy in your spine. Such as, child’s pose, downward dog, and Kundalini Yoga itself (which is fairly simple as it focuses on stretch more so than strength, and resistance).

The next tip I suggest is to find a creative outlet, for me it’s my writing, and divination. I fell in love hard with divining because I had to focus my thoughts on something, anything, to get my mind off the pain.
Find something that challenges your mind so that you are not continuously checking back in on the pain.
The last tip I suggest is eating a healthy diet, and stay hydrated! I am all for water and tea; I keep it simple. Try to be aware of the processed foods you are eating, stay away from foods that are too fatty, try to eat as natural, and organic as you can.
Try adding in spices, too because your taste buds will change during this awakening.
Stay away from harmful substances during your awakening such as hard drugs and alcohol in large amounts.
Alcohol intake can increase the pain and makes you dehydrated, which makes the spinal pain worse. When the body is dehydrated the discs that connect your vertebrae become less flexible, and “dry”.
I am a Cannabis Advocate, btw.
I know from personal experience that this can truly be a devastating awakening, but the reward is like nothing else in this world.
My advice is to take care of self, listen to self, love self, honor self and the rest will work itself out.
You must be patient, do not rush the process.
Please do not go out of your way bending, and contorting to awaken this energy, either; if it is meant to happen to you, it will.
If you wake her up and she is not ready to be awakened, prepare for a wrath like no other.
The Kundalini rising is just another way that the Serpent gives us knowledge.
Embrace it.
Further study: