Sooner or later on the spiritual awakening journey, we all taste the mysterious and intense phenomenon known as kundalini energy.
It might be smooth and subtle, or intense and explosive, but whatever the case, kundalini is a primal force of awakening.
In fact, sometimes people can experience full-blown kundalini awakenings spontaneously without any prior experience (or interest) in spiritual growth or transformation.
Have you experienced a kundalini awakening?
If you’re curious to discover whether you’re going through a kundalini awakening or something else entirely, keep reading.
Table of contents
What is a Kundalini Awakening?
Put simply, a kundalini awakening is a form of energetic awakening that causes us to transform on the mental, emotional, and spiritual levels.
Kundalini itself is a Sanskrit word that means “she who is coiled.” It refers to primordial life force energy contained at the base of the spine that is often depicted as a snake.
This serpentine energy, once awoken, travels up the various energy centers (or chakras) of the body and into your crown chakra where higher consciousness is triggered.
The result of this higher awareness is a greater understanding of your Soul (or True Nature), life purpose, and the nature of reality itself.
19 Symptoms of the Kundalini Awakening
As divine feminine energy, kundalini usually lies dormant in the root chakra (base of the spine).
However, there are a number of different situations where kundalini can be suddenly awoken spanning from trauma to drug use, all the way to years of targeted practice (such as tantra or kundalini yoga).
Below, I’ve divided kundalini awakening symptoms into two groups: “light” and “dark” signs.
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Please note that kundalini energy is neither good nor bad, instead, it’s a primordial force that simply lives within us. However, to the human mind, some of these experiences are pleasant, and others are extremely unpleasant:
‘Light’ Kundalini Awakening Symptoms
- You feel a spiritual connection with the Divine that transcends the ego
- You are bathed in bliss and boundless love
- You experience periods of Oneness where your compassion for humanity increases
- You tap into extrasensory abilities (ESP) and/or develop extraordinary gifts
- Pleasurable sensations pulsate through your body
- You’re inspired to make big, life-altering decisions and authentic changes in your life
- Synchronicity (i.e., meaningful or miraculous coincidences) increases tremendously
- You have profound insights into your behavior and past experiences
- Your empathic abilities strengthen, and you can feel everything at a profound level
- You begin to understand the nature of the mind and how it influences reality
- You keep receiving big, cosmic “downloads” of information (soul communication)
‘Dark’ Kundalini Awakening Symptoms
- You experience intense, involuntary shaking of the body that can be alarming
- Your nervous system becomes hypersensitive to external stressors (bright lights, TV violence, loud noises) and shuts down or craves total solitude
- You struggle to sleep properly
- You experience sudden and shocking moments of ego death
- You have visual disturbances that can feel alarming (e.g., objects seeming to vibrate)
- You experience intense heat, vibrations, or electricity surge through your body
- It feels like you’re having a bad drug trip while sober
- You struggle to distinguish what is real from imagined (psychosis) and feel like you’re going crazy
If you would like to learn more about each of these symptoms and the stages they correspond to, you can read my article on Kundalini Awakening Stages.
Other Kundalini Awakening Symptoms
The above kundalini awakening signs are fairly common. However, as someone who has experienced the energy of kundalini move through me, I can say that it doesn’t happen in the exact same way for everyone.
One of the most recent experiences I’ve had with kundalini, for instance, was preceded by two weeks of low-scale feelings of ‘impending doom,’ followed by the kundalini energy gently moving from my head and down through my body into my stomach.
The energy felt gentle, like a soft breath of wind, and when it reached my stomach, it felt like it was ‘working’ on something there. Then it melted away and vanished.
Here are some other, and perhaps less common, kundalini awakening symptoms:
- Feeling shattered (fragmented) or like you have no center
- Dreaming of snakes or seeing snakes everywhere (this is an alert from your subconscious mind)
- Feeling raw and extremely vulnerable, like a newborn child
- Manic and exuberant energy or the opposite, chronic fatigue (sometimes alternating)
- Frequent lucid dreams or vivid dreams
- Seeing lights or hearing music that isn’t there
- Tapping into your past life experiences (or other people’s)
- Entering spontaneous yoga poses (known as kriyas), mudras (hand poses), or pranayama (yogic breathing)
- Developing a Savior Complex or feelings of grandiosity
- Feeling intense grief for the planet and all suffering beings
- Out-of-body experiences where you (may/may not) connect with your Higher Self
- Visual and hearing changes
- Panic attacks and feelings of terror
- Strange food cravings or aversions
- Spontaneous orgasms
- Developing strange, undiagnosable physical symptoms that may manifest as autoimmune conditions, digestive issues, nausea, etc.
Have you experienced any of the signs mentioned above? Feel free to share your experience in the comments. This might help others who have undergone similar experiences to not feel alone.
Is Kundalini Awakening Dangerous?
This is a fair question, especially considering some of the symptoms mentioned above.
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To answer the question, yes and no. Kundalini energy isn’t innately dangerous or bad. It’s our energy blockages that limit the flow of kundalini that make it a painful, scary, and sometimes dangerous experience.
In Georg Feuerstein’s book Tantra: Path of Ecstasy, he explores why kundalini can go haywire:
Without prior cleansing of the nādī system, raising the serpent power (kundalinī-shakti) along the axial pathway is not only impossible but also very dangerous to attempt, for instead of entering the central channel (sushumnā-nādī) it is likely to force itself into the idā- or the pingalā-nādī, on either side of the central channel, causing immense havoc in the body and mind.
In other words, when kundalini is prematurely stimulated or aroused in an incorrect way (aka., through inadequate preparation and clearing of our energetic body), the results can be disastrous. Thankfully, the experience doesn’t last forever, and we’ll explore what to do if you’re experiencing the ‘dark side’ of kundalini awakening a little later.
But to further illustrate, Feuerstein goes on to quote the experience of yogi and mystic Gopi Krishna during his spontaneous kundalini experience. He writes:
There were dreadful disturbances in all the organs, each so alarming and painful that I wonder how I managed to retain my self-possession under the onslaught. The whole delicate organism was burning, withering away completely under the fiery blast racing through its interior. I knew I was dying and that my heart could not stand the tremendous strain for long. My throat was scorched and every part of my body flaming and burning, but I could do nothing to alleviate the dreadful suffering. If a well or river had been near I would have jumped into its cold depths, preferring death to what I was undergoing. . . . I racked my distracted brain for a way of escape, only to meet blank despair on every side. The effort exhausted me and I felt myself sinking, dully conscious of the scalding sea of pain in which I was drowning.
I’ll stop there because I know that this might be alarming to you (or alternatively, affirming, helping you to see that you’re not alone if you’ve experienced this).
In short, kundalini is a mighty potent force.
If you’re seeking to awaken it, be sure you know what you’re doing and seek out trustworthy guidance. This is not something to be trifled with.
Spiritual Awakening vs. Kundalini Awakening – What’s the Difference?
While the two sound the same, they’re slightly different in nature.
The spiritual awakening process (or what we refer to as the spiritual wanderer’s journey) tends to be emotional and psychological. Kundalini awakening, on the other hand, is energetic: it’s a surge of energy that may be either gentle and gradual, or sudden and intense.
While kundalini awakening usually comes further down the road after someone has experienced a spiritual awakening, it doesn’t always.
As mentioned previously, kundalini can arise suddenly in response to psychedelic drug experiences, sexual encounters, or even traumatic situations.
Another distinguishing factor is that kundalini energy is felt very physically whereas the spiritual awakening is usually more mind and heart oriented.
So while intense vibrations and heat may be felt in the body during kundalini awakening, during spiritual awakening there is more of a soulful quality of deep questioning, insight, and transfiguration (some refer to this as spiritual alchemy).
Can someone experience both spiritual awakening and kundalini awakening at the same time? Yes, absolutely.
It’s for this reason that both tend to lead to the experience of the Dark Night of the Soul (or the inevitable after-effect of having felt like one has ‘lost touch’ with the Divine). Ultimately, they are two sides of the same coin.
5 Hidden Traps of Kundalini Awakening
The kundalini shakti bestows liberation on yogins and bondage on the ignorant.
– Svātmarāma (15th century yogi master)
Kundalini awakening is a life-changing mystical experience that can feel magical, ecstatic, and profound. And it is. But there are also many hidden traps we can fall into after we’ve emerged out of the other end.
Some of these traps involve:
- Spiritual superiority – seeing yourself as “more awake” than others and looking down on those who are not as advanced or still “asleep” (also known as spiritual narcissism)
- Savior complex – adopting a disproportionate sense of self-grandiosity and specialness, believing that you’re sent to “save the world” (e.g., for those who have undergone kundalini psychosis, this can even mean believing they’re Jesus Christ or the next Buddha)
- Grasping and attachment – desperately trying to hold onto the blissful experiences of the kundalini awakening and being miserable (even entering crisis mode) when it’s inevitably lost (this can result in spiritual materialism and the dark night of the soul)
- Spiritual nihilism – taking universal truths and misapplying them to a human level, e.g., “all is an illusion,” “nothing ultimately matters” which breeds a sense of dissociation, emptiness, and cynicism
- Avoidance – avoiding or spiritually bypassing everyday responsibilities and focusing only on “higher spiritual matters” (this is essentially a way for the ego to avoid growing up and integrating the experience at a human level)
I explore a variety of different spiritual issues that can arise on the spiritual wanderer’s journey which you can check out in the Traps & Pitfalls section of this site.
How to Handle a Kundalini Awakening
If your kundalini has awoken and you’re feeling overwhelmed, here’s some guidance:
1. Be gentle with yourself and take care of your nervous system
Likely, your nervous system is going into overdrive if you’re having a painful kundalini experience. Some ways to calm your nerves can include:
- Taking a warm bath with essential oils like lavender (you can also try magnesium salts). If a warm bath doesn’t sound like your cup of tea, try a cold shower. Be mindful and notice how your body and mind respond to the temperature of the water.
- Find something/someone that brings you a feeling of safety. This might be cuddling your dog or cat, asking your partner or friend to hold you, finding a cozy nook in nature, or relaxing in a corner of your house that brings you comfort.
- Listen to calming music.
- Try slow guided breathing using an app like Calm or InsightTimer. (Be mindful of how your body responds. Stop immediately at the first sign of discomfort.)
- Ground yourself outdoors in nature.
- Eat grounding foods (potatoes, root vegetables, organic meat)
2. Stop all spiritual practice temporarily
Yes, your spiritual practice might be amplifying the effects of your kundalini awakening. So stop. Let yourself rest. If you crave a replacement practice, try mindfulness as it helps to ground you in the present moment. Read my article on the spiritual emergency for more helpful ideas.
3. Seek out compassionate help
If you still struggle with the kundalini energy being too intense, I strongly recommend seeking out the guidance of a transpersonal or depth psychotherapist. The best guides are those who understand the importance of integrating the mind and spirit (or spiritual psychology).
There are also people who specialize in kundalini awakening help that you can find online – but tread carefully. Trust your instincts. If you feel worse or if you get weird vibes about someone, you don’t owe them any explanation. Leave. Find someone else. You have the right to get the guidance you need.
Kundalini Awakening FAQ
Here are some other questions you might have about this powerful experience on the spiritual journey:
Usually, there is a period of long integration after the kundalini awakening experience. In other words, it takes a while for the mind, heart, and soul of a person to fully comprehend what they’ve been through and translate that into daily life. For some (extremely) rare people, kundalini awakening results in liberation from the separate self and the realization of non-dual awareness (also known as ‘enlightenment’).
There are many methods out there that help to stimulate kundalini energy. Most involve either Tantric and/or Yogic practice. Visualization, plant medicines (like psilocybin mushrooms and ayahuasca), certain breathwork techniques, belly dancing, and meditations also help to awaken kundalini energy. But remember to always be gentle, go slowly, and know what you’re doing. Kundalini energy is powerful and not to be messed around with.
The answer is that it varies for everyone. Some people experience the awakening of kundalini early on their spiritual path (indeed, for some it actually triggers the spiritual search). For others, kundalini awakens after many years of spiritual practice. There is no set-in-stone rule here: it depends on your unique energetic blockages, destiny, soul, and many other factors.
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As the kundalini awakens, you naturally become aware of your true nature, the nature of God, and the purpose of your existence. It is an accelerated path to God-Realization, and can create many extraordinary experiences and realizations.
– Steven Sadleir (Looking For God)
Kundalini awakening can happen gradually and subtly or explosively and rapidly on our spiritual awakening journeys.
Known as the Serpent Power, the Inner Woman, and the essence of Shakti, kundalini energy can be a force of tremendous awakening or deep enslavement. The key is to be mindful, practice spiritual discernment, trust in your soul’s strength, and seek help where needed.
Remember that the ultimate purpose of kundalini is to dissolve the inner knots that keep you small and limited, helping you to awaken to your Eternal, Primordial, True Nature.
Have you had a kundalini awakening experience? What was it like? I’d be fascinated to hear below.
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What if you really are the Savior among humans (also known as the LORD or God of the Bible) as the Bible describes you to be? Is having a Savior Complex really a bad thing if that is the case? I don’t mean that the dissociation from being God, the first and the last; the one from everlasting, means that you will be toxic to other people around you but at the same time, you are God which means that you are different from other people on a fundamental level, since it is in your blood to save (As in Isaiah 46:5, ESV).
What do you think about the difference between having a Savior Complex and authentically being God (hence the Savior according to the Bible), Aletheia?
One of the ways to deal with “kundalini awakening” is to find a practitioner and start doing the practice. I am a practitioner of kundalini yoga and I very much enjoy the quantum physics of this awesome practice. I also highly recommend looking up Guru Jagat on her YouTube page and start getting downloaded.
After going through the spiritual awakening articles and spiritual sex, I think I’m experiencing both. A week ago my partner and I were having amazing sex. We smoked cbd prior. I felt extremely in tune and confident. We eye gazed majority of the time. I experienced multiple orgasms and suddenly I was feeling everything. Then I started speaking prophetically. It was like I was hearing everything or rather I was feeling everything and was able to articulate those feelings. I consider myself an empathic tuning fork and it’s like the universe was using me to speak. Since then it’s like I can’t turn it off. I’m tired a lot. I have waves where I’m “feel-hearing” as I now call it. The other day it was like my tarot and Oracle cards were calling me. When i did the reading on myself the messaging was take care of yourself, find a group to help understand and bounce ideas from, and lastly that I’ve begun my spiritual journey and I should seem a mentor. I suddenly know things about family members I’ve been around recently. I’ve been trying to find resources on spiritual sex but surrounding prophecy. I’ve been depressed the last… Read more »
Where do I even start. On a very hot spring day in South Africa there was a bolt of lightning and I even made a comment about how absurd it was for lightning to strike on such a hot day, little did I know that I think it was made for me, Within seconds of me commenting something happened inside of me- the confusion, paranoia, the ability to see other people’s hidden behaviors (their intimate lives). I was always tired, My headaches were out of this world, I would constantly feel my soul leaving my body, my whole body would itch, from my scalp to my toes, I was constantly on edge, Something was pushing me to quit my job, quit everything and everyone and start over.
I am now in complete solitude (5 months) jobless but extremely happy and I have done a lot of healing work. I feel better about myself and confident about the next journey ahead.
I truly believe I needed this awakening. I’m happy!
Something is definitely happening to me in the past months. I experience some of the symptoms described above (most of them are positive, but there are some negatives too), it’s a strange and calming feeling overall. It comes in glimpses most of the time, but these glimpses indicate that there is more in me than I thought so far.
Maybe because I can successfully solve my upcoming problems in my life and the feeling of “I can keep it up” and being lucky comes to a realization. Basically I feel that currently I can keep up with the flow of life.
However I have a big obstacle incoming right now: I’m gonna change my job.
A whole new world awaits, which is completely strange, but I have hope, and I hope that in the end this will turn out to be a good decision.
I think the kundalini and awKening go hand in hand . This resonates so well being that when I was on mushrooms (A week after I had my initial spiritual awKening ) I was terrified of seeing snakes everywhere. After that day I got sober and sober 8 years now . I am happy to read this because there have been a lot that has happened since those initialPsychedelic enlightenments that I can’t explain and my body definitely had sudden urges of insane energy then I would crash and it continues. I probably need to continue to unblock my energies and do the energy work to allow more natural flow of this kundalini cause I know it was awakened (now after reading and researching for years to explain what had happened to me.)but I am one of those people who didn’t know anything about anything, didn’t expect , didn’t try and certainly was terrified of the whole experience so even thoUgh it was more Dark than light 8 years ago , I am beginning to transition into much more light And enjoyment and love and enlightenments daily and I am so grateful now and will continue to enjoy everything .… Read more »
I don’t know if I am having a Kundalini awakening, a spiritual awakening or both. What I do know is that my mind, body and soul is underactive for periods of time and then very overactive. In the underactive stages I am severely fatigued, my mood is indescribably awful, I cannot connect with people or nature, I lack any kind of spirituality, my dreams are menacing and frightening, I feel angry with the world and everyone in, I bore easily, I do not look after myself or others, I crave bad foods, I stop exercising, I feel physically blocked and unbalanced. I am a Libra and therefore crave peace and harmony. If anyone disrupts this with conflict I cannot thrive and I discard them. Suddenly I awaken with bounds of energy, everything I stated above is the opposite. I start to see repeating numbers, including my birth date and signs and symbols. I then become over sensitive to colour, noise, taste and smells, but not in a negative sense. I need to connect with nature, my creativity flows and I feel the need to connect to people. Physically I no longer feel fatigued, I have bounds of energy, need less… Read more »
I had recently attended a self Love retreat which had yoga shamanic healing and Kundalini awakening. The activities went over 2 days. On the second day I experienced through the activation warmth heat sensations throughout my body it began shaking as the energy procided to rise up from my stomach area up body and reach my head. My head was hurting intense pain a throbbing pressure in my head . After awhile when the music shifted. It started to ease . When coming back it felt like my body was heavy couldn’t move for a short space of time. Had to adjust focused on breathing also just had to rest my head.It hurt a little on and off for the next couple of days.
Thank you for letting me share my experience.
I don’t think I have reached the Kundalini Snake special awakening just yet.
I do have lucid dreams, but these seem set to resolve mental tangles, or resolve inner blocks/ problems that were not resolved during waking hours between self and others. While my wake full mind can manifest anything any where in the imaginative mind level. Often I visualize inner visions, faces, places scenes both natural and abstract, which can be most entertaining at times, while other times a real pain when the Ego, with audio and visual inserts that will not keep silent.
I’ve just recently finished a 40 hour training on Kundalini in the Tantric Tradition, and one of the things we were taught was that “dark” side you’re mention isn’t kundalini at all but rather pranic imbalance. Gopi Krishna and his experience was actually referenced. The main prescription for this kind of disturbance was to do practices such as Chandra Bhedana (left nostril breathing) which will calm the nervous system and bring stability and calmness back in.