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.
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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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I’m just learning about all of these terms and everything spiritual. I can’t fully sum up what I’m going through, I’m not sure how to, but all I know is reading these descriptions and answers resonated with me so greatly I cried at times. I’ve been abused all my life, diagnosed with PTSD as well as depression and anxiety disorders, I’ve always loved nature and been nervous around people (and for good reason because I was abused by my family, teachers, principals, guidance counselors, friends, coworkers, bosses, romantic partners, etc…it’s been difficult for me to find a long-lasting non-abusive human. But periodically I keep trying and in the meantime I love being alone – until this past June when I was leaving a foraging class in a state park about 2 hours from my home and was almost killed by a man in a pickup truck who was roadraging, and then was subsequently tortured and abused by law enforcement. I believe I almost died that day, because once I left the scene and started to continue my drive home (with a cell phone that had been dead all day and I didn’t have a charger in my car) I suffered… Read more »
I believe my first awakening was when I was young, and due to trauma got stuck at sacral chakra. Then I met my twin flame and things started getting interesting (very) .. but have been separated for over a year. Then recently I was at rock bottom emotionally and mentally and started healing myself properly and learning to self love PROPERLY (still learning). At some point this year I started meeting my twin in 5D but didn’t understand and was confused at first. I feel my twin come to me regularly and it’s like an orgasmic feeling and it is the most powerful arousal I have ever experienced, it feels like a mental orgasm. The first time it happened I was shocked but intrigued and then got used to it. Then I had a few days of intense energy, almost like .. the most on-heat feeling I can describe. Like I was possessed with this overwhelming need to melt into her and could feel our energies intimacy. When twin went through it I felt it again with her and it made me spontaneously orgasm which amazed me but then got too overwhelming and wouldn’t calm down. Things are calm right… Read more »
I am quite shocked by reading this ultra important information of kundalini awakening. I had lots of symptoms of it as described in your article, but it was immediately categorised as psychosis and blocked by obligatory medication. I feel like they have been blocking my true awakening ever since and it’s making me more depressed and numb every day. I really don’t know how to manage my high sensitive personality in to this increasing barbaric society. I wish i had something happy to share here because i love to live, but people are not allowing me to. With sincere love and friendship for the good work you do, Lexy
Though my expierence is more of the sudden and intense variety, this article has been helpful in making me see what has gone on the last week and a half. I was having all sorts of realizations last week about how certain wounds could have shown up and the people that were behind the traumas. I am spiritually awakening as well, but I had mostly light symptoms last week which ended with a bit of a emotional breakthrough on Saturday and then last night at 4 am, I just started to tremble, and all day yesterday my crown had so much activity, so it makes sense that it happened. I did feel my solar plexus/ stomach feel it too. The funny thing to is I have felt the need to do some back stretches.
Thanks for sharing.
My kundalini awakened opened in an elementary school gym. There was a guy there that really liked me. The feelings were reciprocated. It was hard to look at him because of an energy block. But finally after the evening was over I looked at him, he smiled at me and bam! It almost made me fall over. My hands hit the floor. I had the biggest full body orgasm, it was 10 times stronger, bigger than a normal one and lasted around 5 seconds. After that it was around 2 years that were very dark for me. Even though I could feel some far away constant bliss, I also felt fear, darkens, major brain fog, and just life being spiritually yucky . All of that is passed, it’s been 8 years and life is wonderful. I now know the beauty of the world. My main practice is to send out LOVE to the world. I do it almost every day sometimes for an hour. It makes me feel crazy happy to do it. I open the top chakra and point it out to different continents.
I had a Kundalini awakening that was sudden and very unexpected. I was taking a Zoom course on how to work through relationship issues such as feelings of abandonment, inner work to help with relationships and I was separating from my spouse. Part of the class was guided meditations. The guide was Tantric healer and studied metaphysics. He provided a guided tantric meditation that put me in touch with the goddess archetype Oshun. Well at one point towards the end of the meditation and guided visualization with Oshun. I had a sudden surge of blissful energy that moved up into my root chakra and ina wavy snake like or even a flowing River moved up my body as if it moved through all my chakras. I felt it centrally move through so strongly that it lifted my up slightly from my chair and moved out of the the crown of my head. Then my entire body, every cell lit up! I had this light, bright energy flowing through me. It was quite blissful. I then cried and sobbed uncontrollably. I felt so much strong emotion of joy, mixed with saddness and I don’t remember what else. My body felt incredible… Read more »
To be honest Its been 26 years since my Kundalini awakening, I am only even thinking about it again because I just got sober 4 months ago and have be honest with my sponsor about my relationship to god, 90% of what happened has blocked from my memory due to the extent of the trauma, I have to face this some day, all I remember was that it was terrifying beyond words, I fall into the category spontaneous and without any prior experience or interest in spiritual matters, and while I was immediately drawn towards eastern mysticism out of nowhere due to how enormous and overwhelming the experience was, which led me to conclude that this was spiritual in nature and was certainly of god, I did not conclude this was Kundalini for 7 years although I was familiar with Kundalini I never made the connection until I finally found a book that spoke of the dangers and dark side of Kundalini and all of symptoms were there, the constant stream of electricity that ran up my spine and pooled in the center of my brain as a ball of prickly electric sensation that drove me to almost want to… Read more »
I have experienced a Kundalini Awakening. I am so grateful for this article that gave me confirmation of what happened to me… I have been diagnosed with CPTSD and another dr diagnosed me with Manic Bipolar disorder. The strangest thing to me was that I had never had manic episodes before and not for the first time until after my mother’s passing by suicide. I was 34 at the time and have actually experienced this 7 times. I am now 41. I was actually going to have an 8th, but could relax my mind enough to go in and out of this, being able to gain self control. As you can tell, my experience was very, very intense. There were beautiful moments, but also very scary moments too… Good and bad feelings… The good feelungs, I must say, were more than good… They were amazing and I was given a beautiful opportunity to view life in the most glorious way. I know that I have an exquisite testimony that I really cannot wait to tell. From this and because of my experience, I am bow exploring life coaching and hypnotherapy courses and looking for that open door to my newly… Read more »
I think I may be having a kudalini awakening and I’m scared. I’m still grounded in the reality of my life: my sobriety, stressful romantic relationship, my daily responsibilities. It’s been about 3 days since it started. I’ve had intense mood swings. I can’t tell if I’m “waking up” or just losing it. Mental illness runs in my family. I’ve always been terrified of it. I’ve seen counselors, therapists, psychiatrists, and they all have said I don’t exhibit the symptoms of the schizophrenia that run in my family. I’ve been treated for major depression, anxiety, and alcohol abuse disorder. I have over a year of sobriety and have been on a very low dose of SSRIs for the depression and anxiety. And I’ve been thriving. Until this experience. Thank goodness I have access to a therapist (first appt in a couple weeks), I hope she can help me walk through this. I’m very uncomfortable and sunsetted.