Kundalini
Kundalini is, in the Hindu Tantric tradition, a subtle energy represented as a serpent coiled at the base of the spine (Muladhara chakra). Its awakening and ascent along the central axis is said to be the basis of yogic enlightenment.
Origin and etymology
The Sanskrit word kundalini means coiled, the feminine of kundali (ring, spiral). The concept appears in medieval Tantric texts, notably the Hatha Yoga Pradipika (15th century) attributed to Svatmarama, the Goraksha Shataka attributed to Goraksanath, and the Shat-chakra-nirupana (16th century) by Purnananda. Kundalini is described as a serpent-goddess (nagini) asleep at the Muladhara chakra, who can be awakened by precise yogic practices: postures, breath control (pranayama), locks (bandha), recitation of mantras. The goal is the union of Shakti (feminine energy, kundalini) with Shiva (masculine consciousness) at the Sahasrara chakra.
Evolution and tradition
The doctrine of Kundalini was codified in the non-dual Tantric tradition of Kashmir (Abhinavagupta, 11th century) and in medieval Hatha-yoga. Western diffusion dates from the early 20th century, mainly through Sir John Woodroffe (alias Arthur Avalon), who published The Serpent Power in 1919, an annotated translation of the Shat-chakra-nirupana. Carl Gustav Jung devoted a seminar in 1932 to the psychology of Kundalini yoga. Gopi Krishna published in 1967 a personal account of Kundalini awakening that inspired many Western practitioners. The Sahaja Yoga of Nirmala Srivastava (1923-2011) and the Kundalini Yoga of Yogi Bhajan (1929-2004) have spread contemporary practices.
Practical use
The awakening of Kundalini is traditionally achieved through long, guided work: Hatha-yoga postures, breathing exercises, meditations on the chakras, mantra recitation. Transmission by a competent master (guru) is considered essential in the classical schools. On Tarotoui, Kundalini is documented among the traditional spiritual concepts. Modern Western practices (the Kundalini Yoga of Yogi Bhajan) offer short sequences (kriya) accessible to beginners. Many experienced practitioners recommend great caution: a poorly guided awakening can generate lasting anxious or somatic symptoms.
Going further
The clinical psychiatric literature (Bonnie Greenwell, Energies of Transformation, 1990) has documented Kundalini awakening syndromes in some intensive practitioners: agitation, insomnia, pains, altered perceptions. Confusing Kundalini with automatically positive mystical experience is a dangerous simplification. Note also that the Western reading has often erased the strictly religious and ritual dimension of the original Tantric practice.