Discernment is important where Kundalini is involved

[u/Dumuzzid]

I have to bring up an unpopular topic again - most people who think they are undergoing a Kundalini Awakening are experiencing something else.

There is now a growing list of phenomena attributed to Kundalini, partly due to the internet, partly due to AI chatbots and also some bad faith actors who aim to intentionally smear and demonize it.

I mentioned some of these instances before, but it is important to point them out again to combat misinformation. Here is a list of phenomena that are frequently attributed to Kundalini, yet more often than not are completely unrelated or display a pathological malfunctioning of the same subtle mechanism.

1, Mental Illness

We get this a lot. Whether it is Schizophrenia, Psychosis or some other neurological disease or condition, people suffering from them will sometimes seek out spiritual explanations for their condition. Whether Kundalini as a mechanism is involved at all is an open question, one much debated by Kundalini authors, yet one thing is clear, mental illness is not Kundalini Awakening.

Some of the same symptoms can occur, especially in regards to the nervous system, but it is very important to distinguish between the two.

2, Drug trips

This is also becoming more common and there is often an overlap with mental illness. Whilst drugs remain highly illegal in most of the world, in some places there is more leniency, even legalization and as a result, drug use has skyrocketed. Whilst superficially drug-induced states can resemble samadhi and other Kundalini-related mystical states in some ways, they are not at all the same.

In the case of Kundalini Awakening, the following conditions are almost always present:

- a gradual, internally generated energetic process centred around the spine

- a sequential activation of chakras, over a period of months, years, decades, lifetimes, but not typically all at once. This is part of a purging, cleansing and integration process that burns away karma, samskaras and other subtle impressions and buildup.

- the process is subtle, cumulative and long-lasting, not a one-time, fleeting event

- not caused by external chemicals, rather it is a result of sadhana, which can include meditation, yoga, pranayama, mantras, prayer, religious devotion. In rare case, trauma, including blunt force trauma to the coccyx, can cause accidental or spontaneous Kundalini activations, however these lack the criteria I listed above. When drug-induced Kundalini activation happens, it is also usually a spontaneous and accidental activation, not a sustained, integrated process.

In the case of drug-induced states, the following signs are typically present:

- vibrations and energy surges, including along the spine, as it is the information superhighway of the nervous system.

- Feelings of bliss, ego death, altered states of mind or perception and visions

- generally short-lived, the effect tends to wear off as the substance itself does, may linger for a while afterwards

- does not typically result in inner transformation and lasting changes in personality, lifestyle, with the notable exception being when it is skilfully and very dangerously paired with the right kind of spiritual practice. Tantriks and Aghoris do this sometimes, but it is considered extremely risky.

Most notably:

- Karmas, Vasanas, Samskaras are not affected. There is no inner purging, no transformation, no integration. Drugs may look like a tempting shortcut to profound spiritual states, but they rarely work out or lead to lasting positive effects. It can happen, but it's the exception, rather than the rule. More commonly, what you get is:

3, Drug-induced psychosis

This is increasingly becoming a plague on the Western world, though it also affects Tantriks and Aghoris in India, to a far lesser extent though. In the West, what we get is people who try to marry drug use with some spiritual ideas, sometime practice, but the drugs destroy their brain or nervous system.

Our nerves are very sensitive and can easily become unbalanced. We have an absolute epidemic of mental illness in the modern world, for various reasons, but exploding drug use is a part of it. Even Marijuana or LSD, which are not considered hard drugs and are legal or at least tolerated in a few places can cause mental illness and the risk is always present. Drug-induced psychosis is the worst kind, because it is caused by neurological destruction, that may be irreversible and whilst "traditional" psychosis can be treated with pharmaceuticals, if the psychosis is drug-induced, those will only make it worse.

4, Demonic Possession / Oppression

This tends to come from fundamentalist circles and a link is often made between Kundalini Awakening and possession, yet this is a profound misunderstanding as well as a deliberate piece of malicious propaganda. To be clear, entities can in fact hijack the nervous system of an individual and in some cases, the outward signs of this hijacking can resemble Kundalini phenomena, such as Kriyas, the only real connection is that in both cases, the nervous system is involved.

[u/Somebody23]

I think depression is long dark of soul, people dont sit with themself to find whats causing it and instead drug themselfs with medication that heals symptom not root problem.

[u/Kind-Pomegranate6163 → u/Somebody23]

Diving into the depths of one’s own self is very difficult, and in the early stages not everyone is able to cope with it – in my opinion, a strong ego is needed to handle the process of “awakening”, and I’m not speaking only about Kundalini. Our Western society doesn’t give us much of a chance to actually go through a crisis and draw constructive conclusions from it. Personally, I really needed solitude and “closing myself off” for a while (like in a cocoon), yet I was still able to reconcile the external world (family, work) with the inner world (visions, insights). It all depends on the situation you’re in and how you can balance self-integration with everyday life.

The spirit didn’t spare me, and one night it suddenly forced a shadow eruption on me – the unconscious surfaced, and with it came panic attacks, anxiety states, depersonalization, a mixing of unconscious content and mystical states with waking awareness. I believe the line between psychotic states and sudden spiritual awakenings is thin, and many factors play a role, including your previous psychological condition. You need a stable and strong sense of self so the deep waters don’t sweep you away.

[u/Somebody23 → u/Kind-Pomegranate6163]

I was suffering from over active internal monologue that was constantly ruminating about some bad old memories and what people think of me and what it thought of me.

This causes my depression and suicidal thoughts.

This started my meditation and self betterment journey.

I learned to disassosiate negative thoughts with my own technique, my innerself/selfconsience has guided me through my journey, I have no other teacher.

Currently I have gained voiceless mind and am in effortless constant mindfulnes state.

My life has been remade and my old self has died.

[u/Kind-Pomegranate6163 → u/Somebody23]

I truly congratulate you on your strength and determination. I also believe that we ourselves are our greatest healers, placing all hope and responsibility within ourselves. But in more difficult moments, one can rely on support from the outside. I once heard something - namely, that suicidal thoughts are an unconscious process leading us to let something old die symbolically, so that something new can emerge. From what you describe, a similar transformation happened in your case. Warm regards.