Differences between Kundalini and Prana
Every few years, and in a magical periodic return, a wave of people offering sessions and/or courses about Kundalini awakening appears. In the media, we see videos of ‘shiny happy people’ openly sharing their life-changing experience as a result of a so-called Kundalini awakening.
The consequences for many of the participants in such sessions and courses are invisible to most people, but not to me.
For years, I have regularly received emails from people who have participated in so-called ‘Kundalini awakening’ sessions, urgently requesting help and guidance. Psychoses, anxiety and panic, desperation, sleepless nights, nervousness, worry, constant tension, manic behavior, and depression are common psychological symptoms. Not to mention the physical symptoms such as muscle and bone pain, a feeling of tightness and shortness of breath, high blood pressure, a feeling of pressure on and/or in the head, headaches, tinnitus (ringing in the ears), dizziness, loss of balance, and (internal) bleeding; all classic and often occurring symptoms that appear as a result of misleading ‘Kundalini awakening sessions’ and prana rise.
What is really happening?
The sessions and workshops are often offered by people with some energetic knowledge and skills. They can partially control their prana energy by contracting it and directing it towards other people. They use their prana, qi, or whatever you want to call it, to make the prana energy flow in others.
However, this is not about Kundalini awakening. Kundalini energy always moves in a vertical line starting from the center of the earth, creating a 90-degree angle between the human body and the earth. Kundalini energy never flows in parallel lines to the earth. If you see someone lying on the ground trembling
during a so-called “Kundalini session,” it has nothing to do with Kundalini energy or a Kundalini awakening. Kundalini awakening happens exclusively via the central nadi (energy channel) Sushumna and requires optimal fine-tuning of all chakras, no energy leaks, and no stagnations in the body. Awakening the Kundalini requires thorough preparation on physical, mental, and emotional levels. Cleansing thoughts, emotions, and cells is a fundamental principle of the Kundalini process. Mastery of various breathing techniques is a must. Only when the physical, emotional, and mental systems are well-prepared, strong, and balanced, can one safely contain the (awakening) Kundalini energy.
Indications of a true awakened Kundalini energy:
There are certain signs and symptoms that indicate the awakening of the Kundalini. These include specific sensations, movements, and sounds. A realized teacher will have no difficulty distinguishing between the authentic signs of Kundalini awakening, prana awakening, or the symptoms of emotional, physical, or psychological imbalance in an unprepared student. Only after the student has refined and purified his body, heart, and mind, and stabilized his senses, can he engage in a dialogue with the energy of his or her teacher.
Shaktipat:
This energetic help from the teacher is an advanced initiation called Shaktipat. When Shaktipat is given, the student’s consciousness is temporarily elevated to a higher level of consciousness, transcendent joy, and bliss by his or her teacher. This state of elevated consciousness can last for some time, depending on the qualities of the student, but usually returns to its latent state after some time, as most students cannot independently and consistently maintain this higher level of consciousness.
The experience of Shaktipat is meant to inspire the dedicated student to systematically practice raising, channeling, and transforming his/her Kundalini energy into universal consciousness. When guiding a student, it is important to understand that the teacher does not act on his own behalf but represents a tradition of teachers and masters guiding the progress of the well-prepared and dedicated student.
Unfortunately, almost all Shaktipat sessions and Kundalini awakening workshops given (especially in the West) are fake/fraud. Regrettably, giving these kinds of workshops and sessions has become a very popular way to make quick money under the guise of a Spiritual umbrella. The reaction of the "client" is often manipulated and is the result of his own expectations, group pressure, external manipulations, and the placebo effect.
A true Shaktipat is ALWAYS performed and given in a space where only the teacher and the student are present. The teacher gives it exclusively to a very advanced and driven student who has successfully prepared himself on mental, physical, and emotional levels to awaken his Kundalini. The purpose of Shaktipat is to "reward" the student with a glimpse of Universal Consciousness.
Preparation is necessary:
When one reads about Kundalini awakening, one often wants to feel and experience it personally right away; this is a natural desire. For a Kundalini awakening, it is necessary to properly prepare and train both body and mind to contain and channel the Kundalini energy. Without proper preparation, the body will not be able to contain this energy, and symptoms of physical, emotional, and mental imbalance will result; compare the released energy to an excess of electricity flowing powerfully through a small wire or fuse.
Good preparation means: make your body a healthy vehicle, let the breath be a balanced channel of energy, and the mind an intellectually and emotionally stable channel for the experience. This requires proper nutrition, exercise, and cleansing exercises, including systematic introspection and various breathing exercises. The aforementioned preparations will be of little value without the first and most fundamental quality and requirement, namely Complete Self-Love. Without this quality, a fully conscious Kundalini awakening is practically impossible.
Prana, Sushumna, and joy:
The flow of prana through the central energetic channel Sushumna brings a great sense of joy. This enormous sense of joy can seem like a perception of universal consciousness to those unfamiliar with a full Kundalini awakening and spiritual experience.
Compared to the way the outside world is normally perceived, there is now a feeling of a kind of intoxication, the outside world is ‘forgotten.’ It is as if one is temporarily ‘dead’ to the outside world, but still in the body. Calmness, detachment, desirelessness, it seems like there is a postponement of the many attachments and resistance of the mind.
Vibrations are signposts:
Sometimes there can be bursts of energy that cause a shock through the spine and the body. They can be sharp, fast, or mild, or they can come as a powerful shock that causes the body to ‘jump.’ Such a shock can sometimes manifest during meditation, experienced as an outburst of energy. This outburst often causes a certain degree of fear as it seems to threaten our existence. Gradually, when the energy is understood and recognized, it comes more as a quick wave of reassuring warmth that brings a flow of peace. They serve as gentle reminders of the progress of the spiritual journey. The ignorant person without previous experience may feel overwhelmed, amazed, and intensely happy. But this is certainly not Kundalini awakening.
Vibrations are neither seizures nor Kundalini:
When not understood, these vibrations can be mistaken for epileptic seizures because of the way they cause a shock in the nervous and muscular systems. Due to the warmth or a peaceful feeling that can be experienced during or after the vibrations, they can be mistaken for Kundalini awakening; however, they are not. Again, they can be pleasant experiences that serve as inspiration during the journey.
The sole purpose of a Kundalini awakening and rising is to achieve universal consciousness, oneness, being one with everything. There is no other practical purpose to be found.
Mind and Kundalini:
Kundalini, the serpent-like latent force that lies dormant coiled 3.5 times face down in the Muladhara chakra, is connected to prana and prana is connected to the mind. A state of universal consciousness is not possible without the awakening of this primordial energy, regardless of which spiritual stream you come from.
Possible damage:
For the ignorant superficial spiritual shopper looking for a spiritual wonder pill, these kinds of sessions of false
Kundalini awakening can be a great experience and bring joy and happiness. However, for the serious spiritual seeker, these kinds of sessions form
an illusion, a smoke screen, deception, and confusion. The serious spiritual traveler might think that his Kundalini energy is awakened and as a result, might stop the process of self-realization. These sessions, which are actually about the flow of prana and not about the awakening of Kundalini,
block people from achieving universal consciousness and create a very harmful energetic disharmony. You could compare it to energetic lies, to energetic abuse. Every person has the right and the potential to fully achieve self-realization. Putting people on a misleading spiritual path just for greed and money is very sad.
We live in the time of Kali, the time of destruction. We see it all around us. Evolution has transformed into devolution. This also applies to the spiritual knowledge and wisdom of thousands of years. Spiritual wisdom is made superficial and sold in an attractive, shiny package with only one goal: making money. Spiritual wisdom of thousands of years has been transformed into a commodity, into a trade item.
For clarity: I believe there is nothing wrong with these kinds of courses, workshops, and/or sessions. You just need to know what you are paying for and what you get for your money.
If you want to go to Australia, would you ask someone to go to Australia for you?
If you want to practice yoga, would you ask someone to do yoga for you?
If you are hungry, would you ask someone to eat for you?
Why would you ask someone to awaken your Kundalini? What is the use?
It does not make any sense..
DIFFERENCES BETWEEN KUNDALINI AND PRANA
| KUNDALINI | PRANA |
|
No physical energy. Kundalini energy always moves in a vertical line starting |
Physical energy. |
| Not part of the body; does not flow through the cells | Part of the body; flows through all cells |
| Latent (potential) energy | Active energy |
| Flows exclusively through the central nadi Sushumna | Flows through everything, forms everything, both in and around the person |
| Dormant and still until awakening | Awake, constantly in motion |
| Element of fire | Contains all elements |
| Does not form matter | Forms matter |
| Can be transformed into unity, consciousness | Cannot be transformed into unity, consciousness |
| Does not adapt to the energetic, physical capacity of the body and requires thorough physical, mental, and emotional preparations |
Adapts to the energetic and physical capacity of the body |