When I first heard of kundalini, it sounded amazing. But before I gave it a try for myself, I wanted to do my research and see if there were any dangers of kundalini that I sound be aware of. Here is what I found.
Is kundalini dangerous? Kundalini yoga has some great benefits, but there are also risks and dangers to be aware of. Learning from an experienced yoga teacher will greatly reduce these dangers and the risk of having a bad experience.
In this article, I’ll explain what kundalini is, and what the signs and symptoms of a kundalini awakening are. Plus how to awaken your kundalini energy, and what some of the benefits and dangers are that you should be aware of.
What Is Kundalini?
Kundalini is an energy (or shakti) that Hindus believe normally lies coiled at the base of a person’s spine. It’s often visualized as a serpent coiled around the spine three and a half times. It’s believed that with proper techniques, this energy can be raised up the spine and harnessed.
Kundalini work normally takes the form of a specific type of yoga. Which naturally, is called kundalini yoga.
The type of yoga that’s practiced for fitness in the West usually focuses exclusively on pranayama (breathing techniques) and asanas (poses.) Whereas kundalini yoga adds an additional focus on meditation and chanting. So it’s more of an internal form of yoga.
The practice of awakening your inner kundalini energy is incredibly powerful. Which is why some people say it can be dangerous if not used properly.
What Are The Signs and Symptoms of a Kundalini Awakening?
Most of the time, a kundalini awakening is something that people need to use proper techniques and work hard at for years to achieve. But just like other forms of awakening or spiritual enlightenment, it can happen randomly or accidentally and spontaneously for some people.
The symptoms of a kundalini awakening can last for several years. Which is why it’s so important to work with an expert before trying to do it for yourself.
Signs of a spontaneous kundalini awakening are quite broad, and encompass a number of symptoms that could present themselves due to other illnesses or problems. So before assuming you’re having a kundalini awakening, it’s best to always speak to your doctor first to rule out any normal health-related causes for any issues you’re experiencing.
However, if you present most or all of these symptoms below, there’s a rare chance that you might be experiencing a spontaneous kundalini awakening:
- Feelings of electricity or energy rushing and moving all through your body
- Feelings of twitching, burning, or itching on your skin
- Hissing or ringing sounds in your ears
- Experiencing out of body experiences or going into a trance (learn more from my article “Astral Projection and Out of Body Experience Beginners Guide“)
- Feeling paranoid or having a sense of grandiosity. A kundalini awakening can sometimes resemble a psychotic breakdown
- Mood swings – Including depression, anxiety, dread, fear, and anger
- Trouble sleeping
- Difficulty concentrating or remembering things, often feeling confused
- Digestive problems similar to irritable bowel syndrome
- Paranormal activity like levitating or feeling possessed
- Not being able to function and have an ordinary life where you work or take care of your kids any more
Having a psychic vampire in your life could be another reason for some of these symptoms. Check out my article on Psychic Vampires to learn more!
How Do You “Awaken” Your Kundalini Energy?
You can awaken your kundalini energy any number of ways. As we just discussed, sometimes a kundalini awakening can happen totally spontaneously. Most often when having a near-death experience, or even just being near a practicing Kundalini master.
However, some people intentionally attempt to awaken their kundalini energy by using meditation, chanting, asanas, and other techniques.
No matter how it happens, the effect is always similar. You will feel a rush of energy up the hollow part of your spinal cord to your brain. Along the way, it may “unlock” energy at the different chakras throughout your body, and free you of past bad karma.
Looking to take your meditation practice to the next level? Check out my article — What Are Rudraksha Beads? — to see how they might help!
What Are The Benefits of Kundalini?
If it’s done correctly, kundalini yoga is known to result in a number of great benefits. Most commonly, people who experience a kundalini awakening will be overwhelmed with a sense of bliss and wellbeing. You might feel more mentally balanced, and happier and healthier overall.
It gives you a very different perspective on the world. It’s not uncommon for people to just drop bad habits such as smoking or eating unhealthy foods after experiencing a kundalini awakening for themselves.
What Are The Dangers of Kundalini and How To Avoid Them?
If you’re learning kundalini yoga, you want to make sure you are learning from a yoga master who can help you do it smoothly and safely. Especially in the West, some regular yoga teachers may just teach a kundalini class to offer more variety. But they may lack the basic understanding of how kundalini works to actually pass the knowledge on to students and make sure they aren’t progressing too fast.
For the untrained and unprepared, a kundalini awakening can be a very scary and anxiety-provoking experience. In the worst case scenario, a kundalini experience without the appropriate preparation can result in full-blown psychotic episodes in a person. Some people experience having something similar to an LSD trip, while others just feel like they’re having a panic attack.
Nowadays, people can simply read about kundalini online and start practicing the techniques for themselves, without the necessary background to prepare themselves. That’s why I specifically won’t be outlining the techniques needed to practice kundalini yoga for yourself here. Of course I can’t stop you from looking these techniques up yourself. But I’d strongly urge you to seek out an experienced kundalini yoga master to teach you instead. They’ll spiritually and mentally prepare you for the experience in a planned out, methodical way.
The preparation work required for kundalini yoga often takes years or even decades before you actually begin practicing it. Kundalini yoga is a powerful set of techniques that will transform both your mind and body.
What is Kundalini Syndrome?
Kundalini syndrome is another name for the sudden onset of various symptoms associated with the kundalini experience. It’s usually brought upon by something like trauma, a near-death experience, a nervous breakdown, or some other jarring emergency. It’s one of the main dangers of kundalini experiences.
Symptoms can appear suddenly or gradually over time, and match up with the ones I described earlier in the article. Plus things like hallucinations, headaches, a feeling that things are vibrating, chills or fever, increased heart rate, and more.
Most Western doctors will not know how to treat or even recognize this condition. So if you see your doctor and rule out all the standard possible causes for how you’re feeling, you may want to consult an alternative healthcare professional.
Related Questions
Q: Is kundalini yoga dangerous?
A: It depends how you practice it. If you simply read about kundalini yoga online and try it for yourself, you may have a very overwhelming and negative experience. That’s why it’s important to find an experienced teacher who can prepare you for it gradually. A kundalini awakening doesn’t have to be a scary experience. The dangers of kundalini can be mitigated if done under the right conditions and with proper preparation.
Q: Isn’t kundalini all about sex?
A: No, you are most likely thinking of tantra. Opening up the lower chakras of the body may create feelings of sexual arousal as a side-effect, but this isn’t a main focus point of kundalini yoga.
Q: Is kundalini yoga a religion?
A: No. You don’t need to be Hindu to practice kundalini yoga. Anyone, man or woman, of any faith can practice kundalini yoga for themselves. You don’t need to believe in a particular deity for it to work. Although some denominations of Christianity may advise against such practices and claim it’s the work of the devil.
Conclusion
Kundalini yoga can have some amazing benefits. But it also has risks and dangers to be aware of and take into consideration before you begin.
Learning kundalini yoga from an experienced teacher greatly reduces the chances of you having a bad or overwhelming kundalini experience, compared to trying to teach yourself by reading about it in a book or online.
Never assume that a medical symptom is the result of a kundalini experience. You should always consult your family doctor with any health issues or concerns to rule out more everyday conditions first.