Emotional and psychological reactions to the awakening of the kundalini. First Signs of Kundalini Awakening Kundalini Awakening in Women

Many people whose Kundalini (hereinafter simply "K") has been suddenly activated DO NOT KNOW WHAT IS GOING ON, and due to the prevailing social ignorance of this multidimensional transformative process, it is becoming difficult to find honey or alternative health workers or spiritual advisors who recognize symptoms, especially when they are accentuated physical. Many people know that awakened K. opens the gates to various mystical, paranormal and magical experiences, but few realize that it can also dramatically affect the body. A large percentage of our old Co-Transformation mailing list contained reports that spoke of prolonged bouts of strange illness as well as radical mental, emotional, interpersonal, psychic, spiritual and lifestyle changes. Again and again we hear stories of frustrating, sometimes desperate visits to doctors, healers, counselors, and so on. who neither understood nor could help with the myriad pains and problems catalyzed by the raging K.

The following is a list of common manifestations of awakened K:
Muscle spasms, pain, cramps.
Energy rushes or strong electricity circulating in the body.
Itching, vibration, tingling, crawling, tingling, or stinging sensations
Intense heat (high heat as if immersed in acid or roasted over a fire) or cold
Involuntary bodily movements (more common during meditation, rest, or sleep): twitching, tremors, shaking; feeling like an inner force causes one to take postures or move the body in an unusual way. (May misdiagnose epilepsy, restless leg syndrome (RLS), or periodic limb movement disease (PLMD)).
Changes and adjustments in eating and sleeping patterns
Episodes of extreme hyperactivity or, conversely, irresistible fatigue (some victims of chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) experience a K awakening)
Increased or decreased sex drive
Headaches, pressure inside the skull
Rapid heartbeat, chest pain
Problems with the digestive system
Numbness or pain in the joints (especially the left leg and foot)
Pain and blockage in different places; often in the back and neck (Many cases of FMS are associated with K.)
Strong outbursts of emotions; rapid mood swings; seemingly unprovoked or excessive episodes of grief, fear, anger, depression
Spontaneous vocalizations (including laughter and crying) - as involuntary and uncontrollable as hiccups
Hearing an inner sound or sounds classically described as a flute, drum, waterfall, birdsong, bees buzzing, but which may also sound like roaring, whistling or thunderous noises, or ringing in the ears.
Mental confusion, difficulty concentrating
Altered states of consciousness: heightened awareness; spontaneous trance states; mystical experiences (if they are too threatening to a person's belief system, they can lead to bouts of psychosis or self-aggrandizement)
Warmth, strange activity and/or blissful sensations in the head, especially on the top of the head.
Ecstasy, bliss and intervals of great joy, love, peace and compassion
Supernatural experiences: extrasensory perception, out-of-body experiences; memories of past lives; astral travel; direct vision of auras and chakras; contact with spirit guides through inner voices, dreams or visions; healing powers
Increased interest in creativity.
Heightened understanding and sensitivity: insight into one's being; a deeper understanding of spiritual truths; acute awareness of one's own environment (including "waves" from others)
Enlightenment Experiences: Direct Knowledge of a larger reality; transcendental awareness

Some people have told us that they find the concept of K. foreign and prefer to just call it their "awakening", we don't mind that. But for most of those who contact us, K's explanation provides an important framework through which to receive and work with their experiences. Each of us has our own unique way of interpreting, describing, and honoring our spiritual wisdom. I do not believe that there is only one correct way of knowing and expressing truth. More importantly, I believe, is to have an open heart and be committed to our own path, wherever it may lead.

Also for some people, deep spiritual insights do not come until months and years after other signs and symptoms. Those with experiences of a clearly spiritual nature are usually more able to integrate and benefit from the process, no matter what they call it. But those who experience what appear to be illnesses or strange physical phenomena are often very disturbed until they realize that they are not sick and insane. And even enlightenment and beautiful experiences can be so powerful that people doubt their mental health. This is why the information and confirmation we offer at Co-Transformation is so important.

Which, I remember, was written on the site: No matter how painful the process and symptoms are, in general it is a healing process and a cleansing process. Kundalini, like life in general, must be trusted. K has inner wisdom and should not be interfered with.

Then there was also written about psychiatric pills. In general, she believes that they should not be taken, they will most likely not help, but on the contrary, they can, and often seriously, a real slow-acting poison. If it really sucks that you are already intending to commit suicide, you can drink for this time. There is a longer article on this subject. On my own behalf, I’ll add that no pills helped me (and I have tried many different ones over the years), except for Xanax. So, in such a critical case, I would recommend it, and the rest I think, on the contrary, can push you.

On my own, I will add that there is still a lot of useful information on this site that can help, especially a complete list (there are two of them, they are repeated, I translated the one that is smaller) of symptoms with comments. All sorts of energy shifts, displacements, discharges; exaggerated fears, paranoia and other phenomena, read ...

There are also detailed and detailed descriptions of the process as it went with Al Colley herself. It should also be mentioned that she tried to keep abreast of the various literature on the subject. Of course, there are a lot of things to read on the site, it is not at all necessary and not necessary in my opinion. Read the second list for sure if you suffer from some strange illness with surreal, very unusual sensations and psychiatrists say that it is schizophrenia or neurosis. Perhaps it is K. The key difference between K and other things, in my opinion, kriyas are these rhythmic, convulsive, graceful or chaotic involuntary movements or twitches of different strengths. For example, the head swings by itself from side to side or shakes rhythmically up and down. The whole body is shaken, etc. And the second is heat, heating, as if taking a hot bath. Well, it also varies in strength. There is also a page with a large number of links to sites with this subject. One minus everything is in English.

One satguru (I don’t remember the full name and title, Swami Ganga) dealing with K advises doing this (as far as I understood and remembered her):
1. Observation of the breath.
2. Observation of the mind.
3. Repetition of the mantra: a) Om (that) that I am (Om that I am) b) I am that I am (I am that I am).
4. Be present.
5. Testify.
6. At the same time, do not leave ordinary life despite all the painful symptoms and other negative manifestations (as I understand it, it means as much as possible at the moment. If you have already left, then you need to return as much as possible. You can do this gradually and even this it is better).

This is not all, there was more on this page, but now for some reason it does not open, but I don’t remember anymore. But I think from what I already know, this is enough, plus read what I say below. Among other things, these books explain what it all means, if you don't know.

My vision is: Don't panic, relax, read Shri Nisargadatta Maharaj's "I am that", he doesn't need the rest and follow it until or if you find a living satguru. True, it must be said that there are certain distortions there, after double translation, plus each editor composes in accordance with his level of understanding, then listen to your intuition. It is better not to read about Kundalini in OSHO (there will only be doubts). His books from the series "Awareness", "Intuition" are worth reading. What really and really can free a sincere seeker of truth is this site - I recommend 100%.

There is also a very good book by S. Grof "Spiritual Crisis". In general, the main interest there is the article by Jack Kornfield "Obstacles and vicissitudes in spiritual practice" and Ram Dass. Kornfield's description is simply superb, a must read. If you don't have Kundalini read this book anyway.

I do not recommend reading anything from OSHO except this series. The same thing is already happening there. The most simple, clear, harmonious, accessible for an ordinary person, plus pure and without confusion - this is this series. In general, stop at one person, for example, Nisargadatta (he is very good, very deep) or Robert Adams. It is not necessary to read what I have listed and something else, reading many teachers will inevitably only confuse you greatly. It makes no sense to read a lot, you can spend your whole life on it, and there will be no enlightenment.

Translated the article and wrote the rest
Daniel Liskin.
April 17, 2007
You can copy this text
but without changing the content and with the preservation of authorship.

The first thing that accompanies the process of opening the centers that has begun is a clear decline in physical strength - as a reaction of the body to the outflow of vital energy in another direction - the direction from the body to the brain. The control of all your energy is now subordinated to the sorceress Kundalini.

This decline in strength can be so great that a person often becomes unable to perform even his usual work. And this must be taken into account and be aware of this, as well as the fact that some physical weakness can periodically be felt during the entire period of ascent.

That's how I felt this phenomenon. There was a feeling of complete energy emptiness in the body. It was impossible not only to move and do something, but even, as it seemed to me, just to exist. This state lasted from several minutes to several hours. But it always ended with the restoration of a normal state, a feeling of satisfaction from the performance of some important work.

In fact, it must be admitted that during the Kundalini process, most of a person’s vital energy strives to get into his brain, where she carries out her evolutionary work with him, transferring the rest of the parts and organs of the body to a limited energy ration. This explains the loss of strength. But don't think it's bad! The brain, having undergone a transformation, a hundredfold begins to return to the body the energy previously taken from it in the form of more effective hormones and other substances that are not just unusual for the body, but much more effective than those that the body received from the brain before. Now the brain, having completed its own transformation, begins to change the body.

This process is accompanied by dizziness, ringing and noise in the ears, nosebleeds, sudden and severe salivation and many different phenomena, listing which can take quite a long time, as they manifest themselves in different people in different ways. An important and common phenomenon for all is the appearance of stars: silver, blue, purple. They also appear with closed eyes, on the so-called mental screen, but in some cases they can be visible with open eyes.

Perhaps the appearance of entire constellations and fiery colors (spots, various geometric shapes), which are formed, as it were, from the fusion of the flames of many fires or candles into one whole. All these stars and constellations never stand still, but are constantly in motion, disappearing and appearing again. Their appearance means real changes in the perceptions of a person, indicating the process of his evolutionary change. But there are black stars, which are not messengers of good, but of danger, threaten health or indicate the approach of a dark creature from the astral world to a person. They are a small black spot, the size of a pea and a little more, with a small light rim around. But do not be afraid of them, as you are already under the protection of a higher power - the energy of Kundalini. This energy gradually erodes these black stars, and along with them the programs contained in them of possible future problems, failures, illnesses in your life.

In addition to the appearance of stars, other phenomena are also detected. Sometimes there are smells of unknown origin, both very pleasant and disgusting. Sometimes a person notices the radiations of other people, sometimes he feels the presence of beings of the invisible world, their touches and the currents coming from them - either cold or warm, depending on which inhabitant of which world appeared among us. You can read more about these unusual manifestations of Kundalini in the following chapters of this book.

The main danger, leading to all the misfortunes associated with the ascent of the Kundalini energy, is ignorance of both the person himself and his environment. An ignorant person is either in a hurry to get into the number of those who have "achieved" the peaks of enlightenment and, for this purpose, uses various unacceptable methods, as he believes, that accelerate this process. Considers, for example, that the disclosure of higher abilities can be made by any charlatan who called himself a Teacher from India or Tibet. Potential victims of ignorance do not know that although the Kundalini energy can indeed be brought out of its dormant state by artificial means, but brought into action in this way, it will severely punish the one who violated the laws of the gradual processes of personality change. Do not rush to jump over the steps - this can lead to the fact that you do not fly up, but fall into the abyss. The process of Kundalini ascent is an ascent to the top of the mountain, along a narrow and mountainous path passing over a bottomless abyss ...

In the process of ascent, a very valuable quality appears - the refinement of perceptions. Thanks to the constant connection of the opened centers, the entire human organism becomes refined, its sense organs become more and more capable of perceiving the most subtle energies, which are the most powerful. He understands without words, sees through obstacles, hears voices and sounds from the farthest distances. He feels many things that are completely inaccessible to the gross feelings of ordinary people. Opened centers are a means of communication with the Higher Spheres and a bridge between the gross and subtle worlds. Gradually, barriers in the form of time and distance are destroyed. Even huge distances are not an obstacle for accepting, for example, the thoughts of another person.

When this process is completed, there is psychological maturity, emotional balance, personal growth and spiritual awakening. Due to the fact that this process is a rebirth or evolution, an adult, like a child, experiences confusion, fear and helplessness in the initial stages of this process.

The lack of necessary information about these processes and their consequences often leads the most sensitive individuals to psychiatric hospitals, where they are unsuccessfully tried to "treat" - in fact, from evolution. I really hope that reading this book will help many such people to overcome their fear of incomprehensible phenomena and processes that happen to them. And quite consciously experience the evolutionary processes of Kundalini's influence on all its structures.

The process of awakening the Kundalini can be both a blessing and a curse. Blessing manifests itself in increasing knowledge and perceptions, in gaining access to that potential energy, which can subsequently be applied in various areas of life. Such as creativity, healing and helping other people, as well as in improving health and establishing emotional balance and spiritual balance - both your own and those around you. A bowl of curse blowjob reading these lines.

When Kundalini awakens, you contemplate divine images, feel divine aroma, divine taste, divine touches, hear divine sounds. You receive instructions from God. This indicates that the Kundalini Shakti has awakened. When there is a pulsation in the Muladhara (this is a chakra or energy center located in the perineum of the body), when the hairs stand on end, know that these signs indicate the awakening of the Kundalini.

When the breath stops without any effort, know that the Kundalini Shakti has become active. When you feel the streams of energy rising up to your head, when you experience bliss, when you automatically repeat OM, when there are no thoughts about the world in your mind, know that Kundalini Shakti has awakened!

When you feel energy vibrations in various parts of the body; when you experience twitches like an electric shock, know that the Kundalini has become active. When you feel that the body seems to have disappeared, when your eyelids become closed and will not open despite your efforts, when currents like electricity flow up and down the nerves, know that the Kundalini has awakened!

When inspiration and insight come to you, when nature reveals its secrets to you without the slightest effort on your part, and all doubts disappear, you clearly understand the meaning of the Vedic texts, which were previously completely inaccessible to you - know that Kundalini has become active.

When your body becomes as light as air, when your mind remains balanced in disturbing conditions, when you have inexhaustible energy to work with, know that Kundalini has become active.

When you get divine "intoxication", when you become the owner of a bewitching oratorical ability, know that the Kundalini has awakened. When you compose beautiful sublime hymns and unwittingly write poetry, know that Kundalini has become active.

I understand that for many, what is written above may seem unrealistic, and for hopeless materialists - just stupidity. But I testify that everything happens as it is written. If only people had eyes and ears that see and hear what is, and not just what their master mind wants to see and hear, and if they had a consciousness that does not sleep! He who has an awakened consciousness, let him hear and see. Let the sleeper bring closer the moment of his awakening.

1.5. Diagnosis - Kundalini: evolution or mental illness?

The rise of Kundalini can be felt, especially at the very moment of awakening, as suffering, a sudden fall into the dark world of the soul, experiencing unpleasant emotional and physical sensations. Waking up can also cause severe pain that doctors can't diagnose and would most likely call a nervous breakdown. It is believed that up to 30 percent of patients in neuropsychiatric clinics experience these processes.

Ignorance and misunderstanding of what is happening turns those experiencing these sensations - in the eyes of others and their own - into psychotics who require psychiatric help. And they begin to “treat” – in fact, from the evolution of consciousness and body taking place in them. Many, even severe forms of psychoses, are in fact due to a huge flow of this uncontrollable nervous energy, rapid shifts in consciousness, and rapid dissolution of the human ego. All this, of course, does not necessarily go smoothly. The main reason for the difficulties is that the person simply turned out to be physically, psychologically and informationally unprepared for what is happening to him.

Such a "hard" Kundalini awakening can lead to what is commonly referred to as a "spiritual crisis". Feelings of this stage are very diverse. They include bliss, ecstasy, joy, unity with the entire universe, but almost simultaneously, in neighboring moments of time - pain, despair, confusion and fear. When I went through these states, the first few months were very unsettling. But then I asked for help from my friends, among whom there was a person who suggested that all these problems of mine were due to the process of raising the Kundalini energy.

This advice helped me a lot, but at the same time it upset me. After all, if I had known about this in advance, how many unpleasant sensations, fears, confusion I could have avoided! Yes, and unnecessary pain ... I immediately rushed to look for and study books about Kundalini - and my discomfort almost immediately became less acute, and the whole process became conscious.

Spring Kundalini

Imagine that your body is a hose forgotten in the garden, into which water has accumulated and froze with the onset of cold weather. In early spring, you will not be able to use a hose - plugs of ice and mud will not let water through.

In winter, you didn't need to water the garden, and you didn't have to worry about the condition of the hose at all. If you turn on the water in the spring, only a small trickle will come out of the hose. You may have had enough before. What will happen if you give full pressure of water? The hose will inflate (well, if it doesn't burst!) until it can pass enough water. The force of the water flow will cause all barriers to be swept away, and then the hose will begin to function normally.

The same thing happens with the human energy system when the Kundalini awakens, although it is, of course, much more complicated than a simple hose. A strong surge of Kundalini energy can lead to the rapid removal of these barriers and clearing of energy channels. The sudden dissolution and destruction of these barriers is the cause of the various symptoms described below.

The initial symptoms of the manifestation of Kundalini leave the deepest imprint in the memory of the people who experienced them. And at the same time, they mark the beginning of a long period of time - sometimes taking decades - during which a person lives surrounded by miracles. And all this is accompanied by growing changes in sensations, in outlook on life and in life itself.

Similar information.

I saw the world in a new way - and it was distorted and out of control, and I could not be rational. I was in a manic-depressive state, my mood fluctuated from euphoria to total self-contraction, from openness to suicidality, and I thought that the energy might kill me in some way... Rob.
I suddenly started having uncontrollable bouts of crying. The attack usually began with an extremely painful condition. I wept and sobbed involuntarily in the most miserable way. And then he automatically came to his senses (B.S. Goel). [Goel B.S. Third Eye and Kundalini. India: Third Eye Society, 1985, p. 67]
Walking around New York, I tried to touch people and bless them. I saw terrible faces in the clouds over the city. When the hood of the taxi I was driving to the airport suddenly popped up, I did a strange thing - I gave the driver all my money and walked the rest of the way. I was terribly confused at the airport and fainted at the ticket counter... (Mark) Some of the more complex emotional states that can accompany a Kundalini awakening have led some clinicians to believe that the process is nothing more than psychosis. , neurological disorder, or manic-depressive illness. Most people do not have such serious problems, but they are still annoyed by the emergence of unpredictable emotions and worries that can lead them to resort to psychotherapy. The most commonly mentioned emotional states Strong fluctuations in emotions. Depression, anxiety, anger, guilt. Certainty that the person is dying. Temporary confusion of thoughts and difficulty completing work tasks. ritual behavior. Insomnia. Impulsive desire to radically change your life. A strong sexual desire not characteristic of this person. Temporary problems with gender. Belief that people influence the patient's energy field and that he influences others. Feeling connected to beings or guides from other dimensions. Symptoms of mental illness, i.e. seeing images, lights, or hearing sounds. Symptoms of borderline conditions, i.e. disorderly thoughts, indecision, questions about the limits of permissible behavior. Narcissistic symptoms, especially pomposity and arrogance. Entering into a trance or semi-conscious state.
Because of the similarity of some of these symptoms to a mental breakdown and the absence of any other diagnostic category to allow psychotherapists to classify cases of hallucinations, several authors have investigated the relationship between Kundalini and psychoses. Gopi Krishna, Lee Sanella, Yitzhak Bentov, and others suggest that some of the mental breakdowns are due to the awakening process, which has either gone awry or mishandled. Bentov claims that from 25% to 30% of all diagnosed schizophrenics may be victims of such misunderstandings [Bentov I. Following the crazy pendulum. New York: Bentham, 1977, p. 213]. Psychiatrists John Perry and R.D. Laing have done a remarkable job of taking people with mental illness symptoms through a transformative process of spiritual healing that calls into question the relationship of these disorders to Kundalini awakening. An excellent study of their methods can be found in the anthology Spiritual Accident [Grof and Grof, 1989]. I do not believe that the awakening of the Kundalini causes psychosis, or, conversely, that the spiritual components of psychotic experiences are proof that the Kundalini has awakened. But it is possible that both phenomena occur at the same time due to the weak boundaries of the ego and the ease of entering into unusual states of awareness, which is often observed in mental illness. It is also possible that the erratic perturbation of the energy fields that takes place in psychosis can cause physiological symptoms similar to those that occur during the movement of the awakened Kundalini. And I share the opinion of Bentov and others who noted that the awakening of the Kundalini is often mistaken for something else, which leads to improper treatment and can increase the likelihood of a mental breakdown or lead to a debilitating patient for a long weakening of his ego. The first study of its kind to distinguish between the two experiences mentioned above was conducted by ophthalmologist and psychiatrist Lee Sanella; this study is published today under the title of Kundalini Experience.

Sometimes people fear that they are mentally ill when kriyas, unfamiliar inner sensations, begin to appear, due to the fact that they have visions or make strange sounds.

If they do not have the knowledge to help them understand these conditions, and if they are misdiagnosed or treated with psychotropic drugs, they may develop serious mental disorders, because they consider themselves mentally ill, and their consciousness at the same time case confused under the influence of drugs. It is important to understand that spiritual exercises and insights have a powerful psychological impact on a person and can cause a crisis, which in transpersonal psychotherapy is called a spiritual accident, that is, an unforeseen delay on the path of spiritual growth. The Mother, who worked closely with Sri Aurobindo and led his organization for many years, wrote the following about the psychological impact of yoga practice:
Yoga, in its process of purification, will expose and lift up all your secret impulses and desires. And you have to learn not to hide or put aside anything, you have to face everything, conquer and reshape. The first effect of yoga is that it removes the mental control, and all the desires that have been dormant in a person are suddenly released, rush forward and take over his being. And this transition period, during which your sincerity and humility will be tested, will last until the mental control is replaced by the divine [Without the author. Mother's words. Pondicherry: Sri Aurobindo Ashram, 1912, p. 43].
Aurobindo also wrote about the psychological impact of the spiritual life. In ordinary life people perceive vital movements like anger, desire, greed, sex and so on. as something natural, permitted and lawful, as part of human nature... the spiritual life requires power over all this... that's why the struggle is felt more sharply - a stubborn struggle between the spiritual mind and the vital movements that resist and cling to old habits.. As for sadhana (spiritual practice), which awakens such things, we simply do not realize many of them, because the vital hides them from the mind and unconsciously indulges them... in yoga, the hidden motive is brought to the surface, examined and destroyed. In addition, certain things that are repressed in our nature may break out, finding their expression in the form of nervous reactions or disorders of the mind, vital or body - this fact is exaggerated by psychoanalysis - in the course of the sadhana one must become aware of them and get rid of them. They need not be implemented, but only released to the surface of consciousness [Aurobindo Sh. Letters from Sri Aurobindo, first issue. Bombay: Sri Aurobindo Ashram, 1950, p. 176].
Aurobindo believed that it was not the desire for divine union that led to madness, but the way people with a certain predisposition react to certain energies. He said that in his life he had witnessed only three cases when yoga led a person to collapse. He pointed out that these people suffered from sexual deviance, high ambition and megalomania, and also had an unbalanced and weak nervous system, undermined by following uncontrollable impulses instead of using a strong will to restrain them. He argued that where there are problems with the emotional state, the cause must be sought in hereditary predisposition, prenatal or birth circumstances, or lack of balance in the nervous system. Agitation or severe stress during meditation would not cause nervous problems without these predisposing factors [Aurobindo S. Letters on Yoga, in four parts. Pondicherry: Sri Aurobindo International University Center, 1971, p. 1767].
Questions concerning the preliminary mental stability of those who decide to engage in spiritual practices arise more often in the West than in the East, where proper preparation and moral attitude are considered necessary conditions for practicing yoga. Several Western psychotherapists draw attention to the difference between meditators in these cultures. Engler cites several cases of studying Western and Eastern students practicing Vipassana meditation, which show that the process of spiritual development in Westerners is relatively slower. He explains this by the fact that Western students linger on the psychodynamic level of practice, and also by the fact that they are affected by increased imagination, daydreaming, various images that arise in the mind, a continuous stream of thoughts and an unstable emotional state during meditation. He noticed a tendency to become more immersed in the content of what is being conscious, rather than simply observing the process. In addition to all this, he points out that Western students develop too much attachment to teachers, they are subject to rapid and extreme fluctuations between belief in omnipotence and complete disillusionment. Engler also noted that many who began to become interested in Buddhism and visit places where meditation was practiced tended to avoid doing developmentally essential tasks and to use meditation techniques to solve personal problems. The Buddhist teaching that a person does not have and is not a stable self is often misinterpreted to mean that we do not have to work on the task of forming our own personality or figuring out who I am, what I can, what I need, why I I answer how I treat others and how I should or how I can manage my life [Engler J. Treatment goals in psychotherapy and meditation: Stages of development in self-image. Journal of Transpersonal Psychology, 1984, 16(1), p.35].
Engler concludes by saying that, at their worst, these weaknesses and personality disorders are pathological in nature, and that many of these students function on the border between normal and pathological, or at the narcissistic level of personality organization and functioning. In this case, reliance on ideals associated with overcoming the ego can become an excuse for the significant weakness of the personal self, and a person may mistake the lack of personal fulfillment for enlightenment. In addition, he can see in the ideal of enlightenment the pinnacle of personal perfection, on which all conceivable problems are removed and a person becomes whole and invulnerable. This can reinforce his narcissistic desire for perfection and his desire to feel superior to those around him.
When problems such as borderline conditions or narcissistic pathology arise along the path of spiritual development, or when a person with such problems has a Kundalini awakening, one can foresee serious difficulties with personal identity and spiritual integration, that is, incorporating the fruits of spiritual development into the personal experience of the individual. Perhaps this explains some cases of personality breakdown or the appearance of clear signs of mental disorders attributed to the process of spiritual awakening. These people are not able to perform a deeper work of self-transformation without completing the preliminary tasks of structuring their personality and normalizing its functioning. Before the development of a person begins, it may be necessary to gradually move away from spiritual practices and related processes. But the vast majority of people who actively and emotionally respond to Kundalini do not fall into this category.
According to Epstein and Lief [Epstein M. and Lief D. Psychiatric complications during the practice of meditation. Journal of Transpersonal Psychology, 1981, 13 (2), pp. 137-145], clinicians have also noticed other complications that arise during the practice of meditation. These include an acute feeling of depersonalization, sometimes with sudden bouts of excitement, tension, arousal and anxiety, intense euphoria and fantasies of one's own greatness. Walsh and Roche [Walsh R. and Roche L. Increasing acute psychotic episodes as a result of increased meditation practice in individuals with schizophrenia. American Journal of Psychiatry. 1979, 136, pp. 1085-1086] described psychotic episodes marked by persecution, agitation, and suicide attempts that occurred in three formerly schizophrenic individuals after they took part in intense meditation training, including fasting and sleep deprivation. Gluck [Carpenter D. Meditation, esoteric traditions: A contribution to psychotherapy. American Journal of Psychotherapy, 1977, 31, pp. 394-404] described two cases of psychotic attacks after training in transcendental meditation (TM) in young patients who had previously used LSD. Psychologist David Lukof has proposed a diagnosis of mystical experiences with psychotic features for those patients whose psychotic states are associated with mystical experiences, prompting clinicians to develop alternative treatment strategies to help them. It seems to him that in some people mental disorders arise as a reaction to the appearance of experiences associated with spiritual practices, and psychosis in these cases can be part of the growth process and lead to positive results if the right methods of treatment are used. Lucoff proposes an approach that allows patients ample freedom to express their beliefs, feelings, and emerging symbolism, and includes placing them in a temple setting, such as a private home or non-hospital-type facility that is part of a religious community, where twenty-four hours of care is provided by friends and family. for the patient [Lukof D. Diagnosis of mystical experience with psychotic symptoms. Journal of Transpersonal Psychology. 1985, 17(2), p. 176-177]. Erich Newman wrote that for the ego, a mystical encounter with the non-ego is always a borderline experience, because in this case the ego always moves towards something that lies beyond consciousness and its world, with which a rational connection has been established. This external area is indeed, from the point of view of the whole personality that she transformed, is mainly creative, but from the point of view of consciousness, this is the area of ​​nothing [Erich Newman. Mystical person. Spring. New York: Club of Analytical Psychology, 1961, p.17]. This would make the process of awakening the Kundalini extremely difficult, if not impossible, for people with borderline mental states or mental pathologies, as they could lock themselves into the pathology; but it is important to remember that patients may sometimes show symptoms of borderline states or psychiatric disorders while experiencing this encounter with the supersensible, even if it is not part of their normal mental state.

In addition to the risk of being recognized as mentally ill, people, as Aurobindo and Mother argued, are subject to erratic emotional outbursts during the process of awakening the Kundalini.

Some of the more unpleasant emotions that accompany the process are fear, doubt, anger, depression, and irrational falling in love (falling in love with someone who is apparently completely unsuitable, or madly in love with a guru, teacher, or therapist).
Not everyone goes through all of the states mentioned. It must be remembered that the uniqueness of each person's life and previous inner work, self-discipline, intellect and emotional tendencies and, possibly, past lives can have an influence on the scheme of the process. Based on my research, I come to the conclusion that people are faced not so much with an onslaught of new problems, but with a more intense manifestation of those unresolved questions of their own that they always had at some level.
One of the most common emotional problems is the fear of death. Many people have exhibited extreme anxiety attacks, convinced that some bodily health problem is the beginning of the end of their lives. Anxiety attacks aggravated by such anxieties are common. The ego suffers a similar crash of death, which most likely explains the fear of physical death in the process of awakening.
Another common phenomenon is sharp and unpredictable mood swings from deep depression to euphoria, sometimes replacing each other several times a day, and sometimes lasting for weeks. This is often associated with bliss and a clear awareness of transcendent realities, followed by a painful realization of how little a person is attached to the events and joys of ordinary life, which once completely satisfied him. Sometimes this state is more similar to the classic dark night of the soul, when contact with the divine has disappeared, and the person no longer knows for sure whether he really was, or strongly doubts that he will ever be repeated.

Irina Tweedy was in just such a state when she wrote in her diary:

Everything seems dark and lifeless.
There is no God to pray to. No hope. There is absolutely nothing. My mind fills with a deep-seated protest...only this time it means less to me than usual [Tweedy, I. Abyss of Fire, UK: Element, 1979, p.207]. The consequence of this separation from the divine is a terrifying emptiness until full awakening is completed, because it is most likely that the person has changed so much by this time that only some ordinary joys retained attraction for him, and perhaps there are none left at all. Spiritual teachers say that it is at this time that it is most necessary to rely on the memory and visions of early childhood pictures, as well as to engage in spiritual practices more intensively, somehow maintaining faith in what lies ahead - the next step in the development of the process. Emotional ups and downs can also be seen as fluctuations between the ego and the Self, which are inevitable until a person stabilizes the activity of energy and consciousness that destroys the previously known system. This stabilization is facilitated by a lifestyle that meets the needs of the emerging spiritual consciousness, the solution of dormant psychological and emotional problems and adherence to appropriate spiritual practices. Treatments that deal with the emotional shifts that accompany Kundalini awakening will be discussed more extensively in the next chapter of this book.

Kundalini awakening

Sometimes the Spiritual Stream rises up the spine like a crawling ant. Sometimes, in samadhi, the soul swims carelessly like a fish in the ocean of divine ecstasy. Sometimes, when I lie down on my side, I feel that the Spiritual Stream is pushing me like a monkey and playing with me cheerfully. I remain motionless. Then the Flow suddenly, like a monkey, with one jump reaches the Sahasrara (parietal center). That's why you see me jump up and down. Again, sometimes the Spiritual Current rises like a bird jumping from branch to branch. The place where he rests burns like fire…. Sometimes the Spiritual Stream crawls up like a snake. Moving in a zigzag way, it finally reaches the head and I sink into samadhi. The spiritual consciousness of a person is not awakened until his Kundalini wakes up.

Ramakrishna, Indian saint

Descriptions of this type of spiritual crisis can be found in ancient Indian literature. Its manifestations are attributed to the activation or awakening of a certain form of subtle energy called Serpent Power or Kundalini. According to the teachings of yoga, Kundalini (literally, "rolled up") is the energy that creates and maintains the cosmos. In the human body, it resides in an unmanifested state at the base of the spine. It has the ability to purify and heal the mind and body, promote spiritual unfoldment, and lift a person to a higher level of consciousness.

The sleeping Kundalini was traditionally represented as a serpent coiled three and a half times around the lingam, the phallic symbol of male generative power. Situations that can lead to the awakening of the Kundalini include intense meditation, the intervention of an advanced spiritual teacher - a guru - and some of the specific activities and exercises of Kundalini Yoga. Sometimes the birth of a child or passionate sexual intercourse can play a decisive role. In some cases, people experience spontaneous Kundalini awakening; it can happen quite unexpectedly in the course of daily life without any apparent reason.

The activated Kundalini assumes its fiery form, or Shakti, and moves up the spine, passing through the channels of the subtle body, the non-physical field of energy that yogis claim permeates and surrounds the physical body. By removing the effects of past traumas, this flow opens seven spiritual centers called chakras, which are located in the subtle body along the axis corresponding to the spine. In addition to the various difficult experiences that accompany this purification process, people experiencing Kundalini awakenings often describe ecstatic states that are associated with reaching higher states of consciousness. Among them, it should be noted samadhi, or union with the divine, which occurs when the process reaches the seventh chakra at the top of the head (Sahasrara). Although yogis find this process highly desirable and beneficial, it is not without its dangers. Ideally, people going through an intense process of Kundalini awakening need the guidance of an experienced spiritual teacher.

The energy of Shakti, moving through the body, brings into consciousness a number of previously unrecognized elements: memories of psychological and physical traumas and experiences during the birth process, as well as various archetypal images. When this happens, people with this form of spiritual crisis experience a rich spectrum of emotional and bodily manifestations called kriya. They experience intense sensations of energy and warmth moving up the spine, and violent tremors, spasms, and twisting movements often take over their bodies. Their psyche can suddenly be overwhelmed by waves of strong emotions - anxiety, anger, sadness, or joy and ecstatic delight. An overwhelming fear of death, loss of control, and impending madness also often accompanies extreme forms of Kundalini awakening.

People involved in this process may find it difficult to control their behavior; during powerful surges of Kundalini energy, they often make various involuntary sounds, and their bodies move in strange and unexpected ways. The most common manifestations of this kind include unreasonable and unnatural laughter or crying, speaking in unfamiliar languages, singing previously unknown songs and spiritual hymns, performing yoga postures and gestures, and imitating various animal sounds and movements.

The perceptual changes during Kundalini awakening can be very rich and varied. People involved in this process often describe vivid visions of beautiful geometric shapes, brilliant lights of supernatural beauty, complex scenes associated with images of gods, demons and saints. They hear internal sounds - from the simple buzzing, humming and chirping of crickets to celestial music and a chorus of human voices. Sometimes they can smell exquisite incense (some mention the indescribably sweet aroma of divine nectar). Intense sexual arousal and orgasmic sensations are particularly common, and can be both ecstatic and painful. This deep connection between Kundalini and sexual energy is at the heart of the yogic practice called Tantra, in which ritual sexual union is used as a means of inducing spiritual experiences.

Careful study of the manifestations of Kundalini confirms the fact that this process, although it can be very stressful and frustrating at times, is essentially healing. Over the years, we have repeatedly observed that experiences of this type are accompanied by a dramatic relief or even complete disappearance of a wide range of both emotional and physical problems, including depression, various forms of phobias, migraines and asthma. However, in the process of awakening the Kundalini, various old symptoms may temporarily intensify and those that were previously latent become apparent. In some cases, they may mimic various psychiatric and medical problems and may even lead to misdiagnosis.

Although the idea of ​​Kundalini has received its most subtle and elaborate expression in Indian treatises, there are important parallels to it in many religions and cultures around the world. One of the most interesting examples is the trance dances of the African Bushmen of the Kung tribe from the Kalahari desert. They regularly hold rituals that last all night, during which women sit on the ground and beat drums, while men move around in rhythmic, monotonous movements. One by one, participants enter a profoundly altered state of consciousness associated with the release of powerful emotions - anxiety, fear, and anger. Often they are not able to maintain an upright position, and violent trembling overcomes them. After these dramatic experiences, they usually enter a state of ecstatic bliss. According to Bushman tradition, this dance releases a cosmic healing force hidden at the base of the spine called ntum, or simply "magic medicine." This power can then be transferred from one person to another through direct physical contact.

Ideas similar to the concept of Kundalini and the chakra system exist among the Indian tribes of North America. Among the gopi Indians, the invisible centers of psychic energy are very similar to chakras. Joseph Campbell also often noted similar parallel elements in the Navajo sand paintings. Ideas related to the teachings of Kundalini and the chakras can be found in Tibetan Buddhism, Taoist yoga, Korean Zen, and Sufism.

However, the phenomenon of Kundalini activation is found not only in the cultures of the East. In the Christian tradition, similar manifestations are described during the practice of the "Jesus Prayer" in Hesychasm. Moreover, unmistakable signs of Kundalini awakening have recently been observed in thousands of modern Westerners. Gopi Krishna, a world-famous spiritual teacher from Kashmir, himself a survivor of a deep and dramatic Kundalini crisis, tried for many years to draw the attention of the Western world to the existence of this phenomenon and its importance.

The credit for bringing the concept of Kundalini to the attention of Western professional psychotherapeutic circles belongs to the Californian psychiatrist and ophthalmologist Lee Sannella. In his pioneering work "The Kundalini Awakening Experience: Psychosis or Transcendence" he described from the perspective of Western medicine the form that Kundalini awakening takes in our culture. Sannella paid special attention to the medical significance of Kundalini syndrome and noted that it can resemble many psychiatric and even general medical problems, including psychosis, hysteria, visual disturbances, heart attacks, gastrointestinal disorders, urinary tract infections, epilepsy, and even multiple sclerosis. . For this reason, Sannella believes that in this type of spiritual crisis, a medical examination by a knowledgeable and experienced clinician is especially important.