Dearest hearts,

When I first discovered kundalini yoga I had no idea about kundalini energy, chakras or the aura. I had read books on chakras before but had never really taken them in.

Even in the first couple of years of practicing kundalini yoga, I never concerned myself too much with the chakras. I gradually became aware of this concept of kundalini energy, that I had a dormant spiritual energy inside of myself that could be raised so I could reach my full potential. I didn’t really think too much about how that would happen – I just allowed myself to have my own experience in class.

The way I thought about it was – this makes me feel good. I’m going to continue doing it.

It was only really when I embarked on my teacher training that chakra + energy flow became a conscious part of my awareness. I had had the experience of a sense of energy rising up my spine during class – so when I read about it it didn’t feel alien or strange. I had also had the experience of unexpected emotions or sensations coming through in my practice. Deep anger, confusion or sadness. It felt like these emotions were blocking the flow of energy in my body + were being released.

I don’t think we need to worry too much about this flow of energy stuff. I think as a kundalini yoga student if you overthink your experience, you aren’t experiencing it. Kundalini is the yoga of awareness + experience, so if you aren’t allowing yourself to just have an experience – then you aren’t practicing kundalini yoga.

So my first tip to understanding + experiencing kundalini energy is to let go of the idea that you need to understand or experience it.

So take a moment to breathe deeply. As you exhale, let go of the idea that you need to understand or explain all things fully. Inhale your awareness + acceptance of where you are now. Exhale, let go of any expectations.

OK – now we’ve let go of the requirement for knowledge over having an experience – here’s how I understand the flow of kundalini energy.

Everything is the same. There is a universal energy. We are all made up of the same atoms, and as with the Big Bang – we were all once one. It’s when we access that connection to oneness that we can be our best selves. We can reach our highest consciousness.

We are made up of energy. Everybody has more potential than they realise. We have a reserve of energy that we can access when we need to – if we learn how. From a yogic perspective, this energy resides in the base of the spine. The practice of kundalini yoga by stimulating the navel and using the bandhas (locks) coaxes this energy up through a central column.

If the energy seems to get stuck or we experience an unexpected feeling or emotion, there’s likely a blockage or imbalance at that point that we need to address. We can do this by practicing specifica kriyas (yoga sets) or meditations to help create balance + remove those blocks. Chakras help us to understand the areas where blocks may arise + what they may be related to. They are not real, physical things. There are a way of looking at the body, mind + soul from an energy perspective.

If everything is in balance then the energy can rise up through the central column to the crown, where if we have done our work – our tenth gate (crown chakra) will be open. This allows us to go from the finite to the infinite. It allows us to connect our individual oneness to the Oneness of the universe. It allows us to go back home – to when we were + always have been one with everything.

The energy doesn’t just disappear, but flows back down to the base of the spine. Continuous activation of the kundalini energy by regular practice of kundalini yoga + meditation means there is a constant flow + constant release to allow a connection to the infinite. We become more aware + more connected to the universe.

We trust our intuition more, are more grounded + can develop an unswerving faith that everything will be alright.

 

Kundalini rising doesn’t happen in an unsafe or unhealthy way with kundalini yoga. The exercises are designed + given for specific lengths + in specific sequences to enable an appropriate rise of energy. If you hear of spontaneous kundalini rises which have been damaging to people – these are not done via kundalini yoga. So don’t worry. Follow the instructions of your teacher or the kriya has given  + you are practicing yoga to bring you into awareness + experience deep joy. Kundalini yoga is a systematic + safe way to access your inner potential.

So this is how I understand raising kundalini energy. But I don’t worry too much about it if it doesn’t always make sense to me.

When I practice I just let it go + have my own experience.

Enjoy yours!

Love + Light,

Raeeka xo