What is a Kundalini Awakening?
- Jul 18, 2022
- 8 min read
Updated: Mar 19, 2025
One of the most intense forms of the Spiritual Awakening journey is the Kundalini Awakening..let’s explore this powerful experience.
What is a Kundalini Awakening?
To make things easier, let’s start from the beginning; What exactly is ‘Kundalini’?
The official definition describes ‘Kundalini’ to be: A form of divine feminine energy (or Shakti) believed to be located at the base of the spine, in the muladhara (base chakra), dormant and resting, like a coiled snake.
The word Kundalinī itself, is the feminine form of the Sanskrit adjective meaning "circular" or "coiled."
So with that in mind, a Kundalini Awakening describes when this coil of powerful energy, that until now has been dormant and ‘at rest’, awakens and rises, which can in turn cause a smooth, subtle, intense or explosive experience, depending on the individual.
Essentially this spiritual transformation can happen spontaneously, (as was my personal experience), or after many years of yoga, meditation or spiritual practice.
As Sadhguru explains: “The word “kundalini” generally refers to that dimension of energy that is yet to realise its potential. There is a huge volume of energy within you that is yet to find its potential.
It is just there waiting, because what you call a human being is still in the making. You are not yet a human being, you are a “human becoming.” You are not an absolute entity of being human. There is constant scope to make yourself into a better human being.”
With this pure potential we all have lying dormant within ourselves, we have the opportunity to cultivate it and harness it, to give ourselves the best possible human experience, and to enhance our own spiritual practice, the good of others and the collective.
If you have not had a Kundalini Awakening but would like to try to activate this incredible energy, please first read this very informative article by Sadhguru.
What causes a Kundalini Awakening?
Unfortunately, this question has no definitive answer.
It seems, however, that when a person taps into the surrounding energy associated with Kundalini, such as meditation, kundalini yoga or spiritually practice, that the process can be triggered naturally.
In many cases, however, there is no cause or trigger at all, and the ‘awakening’ is an isolated event, which then guides the person on a path of self discovery, spiritual practice and healing.
In my personal experience, I went from living my ‘normal’ life, with my spiritual beliefs and energy suppressed since a teenager, to crippling physical symptoms that had me in hospital a week later (see more below).
It wasn’t, however, until nearly a year later that I realised that what I had been through was, in fact, a Kundalini Awakening, as the road to recovery was long and slow.
What are the symptoms of a Kundalini Awakening?
There are many, many symptoms of a Kundalini Awakening. So many, in fact that it appears to be an incredibly personal experience and can differ greatly from person to person.
To view a list all of the different symptoms experienced by people who’ve had their own awakening, please refer to this excellent list, originally published by El Collie in her ‘Shared Transformation’ newsletter, and reposted in this article:
For me, it all started innocent enough, with a slight back ache. I took a warm bath, some magnesium vitamin tablets, didn’t think much more of it, and hoped it would go away.
The next day, the pain had worsened, and the day after that it was even worse, and so on, until fast forward to 5 days later when I was in constant mind numbing pain, could hardly walk (and needed a chair for support), could not get in and out of bed without being in excruciating pain, could not go to the toilet, or dress myself.
My body then started shutting down and I developed a high fever and started to hallucinate.
By this time, my husband was pretty much freaking out, and felt he had no choice but to take me to the emergency room. Sadly, nothing the doctors tested for or gave me, helped. Even the opioid pain relief they administered did not take away the pain.
The nurse made me drink a laxative so I could go to the toilet, but it was as if my lower torso had completely shut itself down, and it had no affect whatsoever.
After that night, regular visits to a Chiropractor gave me small progress, and some relief, however it wasn’t until a few months later, when I opened myself up to self healing, visualisation and energy healing that I truly began the road to recovery.
It's my belief that because my Kundalini Awakening happened so suddenly, and most likely when I wasn’t ready for it, the blockages I had in my chakras at that time (mainly Root and Sacral), are what attributed to the physical manifestation of pain in my body.
I remember during that time, doing a root chakra cleansing meditation which caused me to spontaneously burst into tears in the middle of it. No doubt, the root chakra energy had been blocked for so long, that releasing those emotions during that meditation was such a rush and relief that it all had no choice but to escape to the surface and be free.
It was as though once I finally began doing ‘the work’ and I allowed the pent up energy to move upward, acknowledge it, and become more in touch with myself again, that the true healing and benefits of the Kundalini Awakening began to manifest.
Kundalini Awakening vs Spiritual Awakening
I have read a lot into this particular topic for my own research as well as for this article, and there seems to be an ongoing debate about which is which, and the question “How do I know I’ve had a ‘Kundalini Awakening’ and not just a ‘Spiritual Awakening’?” seems to appear often.
Firstly, I would like to just put this out there…does it really matter?
If you’ve had an awakening or any sort, that is a truly beautiful and amazing thing to have experienced during this life, and a blessing in itself - giving it the correct ‘label’ isn’t what’s important.
What is important is how you feel, what you are experiencing and how you plan to move forward with your new found light, knowledge and spiritual guidance.
However, just for the sake of argument, let’s take a look at the traditional differences between the two, and you can make up your own mind (and decide whether it actually matters or not, to you).
Apparently the main difference between a ‘Kundalini Awakening’ and a ‘Spiritual Awakening’ is that the Kundalini Awakening is more energetic, and relates to the pent up coil of energy being awakened in your body, with the intention of releasing upward into your remaining six chakras, in turn triggering your ‘awakening’.
It is felt very physically, hence why many of the symptoms manifest within the pain body, or as an unexplained illness, and can also be very sudden and intense.
The ‘Spiritual Awakening’, on the other hand, is thought to be more emotional and psychological. In a Spiritual Awakening you may experience ‘enlightenment’, and feel the awakening itself in your heart or your mind.
You will begin to question pretty much everything in your life, your purpose and your existence.
As with a Kundalini Awakening, a Spiritual Awakening can be triggered in an intense and/or negative way, such as though depression, or a traumatic experience, but can also be a very positive experience; because again, it can vary greatly from person to person.
Is it possible to experience both a Kundalini and Spiritual Awakening at the same time?
Absolutely! An awakening can start out as a Kundalini Awakening, triggered in your physical body, and end up as a full Spiritual Awakening, felt in your heart and mind as well (this was my personal experience).
With both kinds of awakenings, the important theme is that you are no longer motivated by what you can get in life, and instead wish to discover what it is you can give, how your gifts can be of service to and help others, and how you can provide for the collective.
Discovering your true purpose in this lifetime should be the desired outcome in any awakening and this how purpose puts you in line with bringing joy, love and light into this world, into the hearts and lives of others, and in turn, to yourself.
How to deal with a Kundalini or Spiritual Awakening
If you have had or suspect you are currently having an awakening, here is a channeled message to help guide you:
“Release and surrender. Allow the energy you are feeling take it’s hold over you, and over your body. This energy may have manifested as pain, and so the way for you to transform it is to go within. Feel the pain, feel into it, go into it with your mind and your heart.
Pushing it aside or dulling it with medications is defeating it’s purpose. For it has a very important purpose.
You must feel it, feel what it has come to teach you, to show you.
Allow the physical manifestation of this awakening to be the door you have unlocked, to allow the next phase of being to enter your body. Allow it all in.
Don’t fight it.
For you are a being of light, an ascending soul with a gift and purpose. See this awakening for what it is: a great gift; and do not grieve the loss of your former self.
"You would not be experiencing this if your body and soul could not handle it."
Release and allow. Let this pure energy flow through you and accept it with your whole being. See it for the blessing it is, and you will be free.”
As explained in this enlightening channeled message above, the best way to deal with any kind of awakening is to simply allow it to happen - don’t fight it.
Be kind to yourself, and be gentle.
Don’t allow anger or ego to take over as your body recovers from whatever physical symptoms have manifested. Let it recover in it’s own time, and nurture yourself as it does.
Think in awe about the amazing gift that you’ve been given in this awakening, and realise that it will take the time it takes - your awakening process will be completed when it’s meant to, no sooner, and will be unique to you.
Other excellent ways to assist your physical body in your awakening are with yoga and meditation.
Kundalini yoga or any kind of yoga you prefer to practice is an excellent way to use your breath to assist the pent up energy to flow around the body, and to release the energy through stretching, in turn healing your body.
Meditation is another way to use your breath to heal your body, and to also connect with your higher self and the universe to assist you with the transition of your awakening.
There are many different guided meditations available, and a root chakra specific meditation will also be helpful (as it was for me).
With channeled guidance from spirit, as well as drawing from my own personal experience, I have created a beautiful and free Guided Kundalini Awakening Meditation featuring root to crown chakra frequencies to encourage the Kundalini energy to rise and release, and to assist anyone navigating their way through this process.
Please let us know in the comments your own experiences with a Kundalini Awakening, and if you have any questions.
Much love to you all,
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