Kundalini Awakening Stages + Symptoms & What To Expect From A Kundalini Awakening

Hey yogi, have you found in other articles that a Kundalini awakening can be a complex and hard-to-understand topic? I am here to break the complex concept of the Kundalini awakening stages into bite-size bits so that you can walk away from reading this article with an aha moment!

Kundalini energy is indeed highly potent and capable of many life-changing benefits when awakened. However, a Kundalini awakening is not something that happens overnight. As you will learn in this article, it can take years to activate Kundalini.

If you are curious about what actually happens during a Kundalini awakening and what it results in, grab your tea and keep reading!

We’ll dive into the three levels of Kundalini and the effects each level can have on your mind and body, and how Kundalini helps your brain to function at higher frequencies.

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What is a Kundalini awakening and what are the benefits?

An awakening of Kundalini is an intense spiritual experience where the dormant Kundalini energy rises from the base of your spine (root chakra) and travels up the crown chakra at the top of your head, creating many overall health and wellness benefits.

A Kundalini awakening helps you break free from your ego and enter higher states of consciousness. This energetic cleansing process also enables you to heal from past traumas. 

There are many life-changing benefits of a kundalini awakening, such as:

• A clear, quiet mind free from mental chatter
• Deep feelings of bliss, peace, and joy
• More empathy and compassion towards others and yourself
• Heightened creativity and increased inspiration
• A deeper understanding of your life’s purpose
• Enhanced psychic abilities and heightened senses
• Reduced stress – a 2017 study found that kundalini yoga lowers cortisol levels (the primary stress hormone).
• Lower anxiety levels – a 2018 study found kundalini yoga to be effective at reducing symptoms of generalized anxiety disorder.

Kundalini awakening physical symptoms

So how can you tell if you are going through a Kundalini awakening you ask? Well, you may feel many physical symptoms; some are pleasant, while others are not. The symptoms that you are going through a Kundalini awakening might include these feelings:

• Uncontrollable shaking, jerking, or spasms- this occurs due to blockages in the chakras, making it difficult for the energy to move up the spine.
• Increased sensitivity to light and sound 
• Hearing unusual sounds in your body, such as buzzing
• Sleep disturbances
• Anxiety
• Surges of energy
• Intense bliss and joy
• A sense of oneness with the universe
• New insights and flashes of new wisdom
• Increased creativity
• More synchronicities in your life
• Increased feelings of love and compassion

Also, note that you likely will not experience all these signs simultaneously. Different symptoms appear in the three Kundalini awakening stages; they can come and go or reduce or increase in intensity during the process. 

How long does a Kundalini awakening last? 

There is no standard amount of time a kundalini awakening should last, as it depends on the individual person. However, most people find their Kundalini awakening lasts for several years.

In addition, there is no specific timescale for the Kundalini awakening to actually begin. For most people, it takes several years of deep spiritual practice and Kundalini yoga under the guidance of an experienced Kundalini yoga teacher before they get signs of the first awakening stage.

Even so, some people have reported spontaneous Kundalini awakenings. These people experience it without practicing Kundalini yoga or other awakening techniques. 

While there is no set duration for how long a Kundalini awakening lasts, three phases must be passed through to complete the process. Let’s explore each of the three awakening levels in more detail.

The 3 stages of Kundalini awakening

Kundalini awakening stage 1 – Arambha 

The first stage of the Kundalini awakening process is known as Arambha and is associated with root chakra cleansing. It is the least pleasant of the three phases, as it is when the individual goes through extreme physical and emotional suffering. This is necessary as it’s the soul’s way of preparing for this intense spiritual journey ahead.  

During this first stage, you will likely experience physical ailments, pain, and intense emotions. In this period, it is common for multiple bad experiences to occur in the individual’s life and even trauma or a near-death experience. 

Yogis going through a Kundalini awakening typically note feeling depressed, anxious, and helpless in the beginning. 

So why does this happen? The pain and suffering are believed to come from past life traumas and the traumas of your ancestors. For the soul to fully heal, these things must surface. 

Kundalini awakening stage 2 – Ghata 

The intense suffering will lead you to the second phase, known as Ghata, where you will move beyond physical and psychological experiences and enter deeper into the spiritual realm. 

Ghata means elimination, which is what happens during this stage. You release and cleanse anything stopping the Kundalini energy from flowing freely up your spine. During this time you might find you have much to let go of, including many of your past beliefs.

When people go through Ghata, they begin questioning everything and seeking more profound answers. They start challenging their beliefs and the conditioning they experienced through their parents and society. They see how these beliefs have shaped their behaviors and actions and understand how they can change negative behavioral traits by changing their thought patterns. 

In this second level, you may also question your identity, seeking to learn who you really are. You may feel less associated with physical appearance and experience a deeper connection with the divine. You may also notice sensations of energy flowing around the top of your head.

Kundalini awakening stage 3 – Third-eye awakening

The last stage, the third-eye awakening, is the most significant part of the awakening process and the most pleasant. Now that you have let go of everything that was not serving you, you’ll begin to change how you see everything. 

However, to reach this blissful state, you must untie the Rudra knot, which lies between the heart chakra and the third-eye chakra. This knot is responsible for the feeling of duality but is the most difficult one to untie. 

Once the Rudra knot has been undone, you’ll experience cosmic energy flowing to the third-eye chakra, and you may also feel tingling between your eyebrows.

The end of a Kundalini awakening

Once the final stage is complete, all of your chakras (energy centers) will be clear. The Kundalini energy will continuously and freely flow through the central channel known as the Sushumna Nadi. 

As a result, you will feel connected to your inner essence, and your brain will function at higher frequencies. This will allow you to maintain a meditative state and experience heightened extra-sensory powers.

Upon completing the third-eye awakening stage, people stop judging others and doubting themselves and experience a calmer, clearer mind. The mental chatter and negative self-talk will vanish, and you’ll no longer feel a need to control the circumstances in your life. Instead, you’ll fully trust the universe to take care of you no matter what.

Sounds blissful, right?!

What happens after a Kundalini awakening? 

It is said that when a yogi completes the last of the Kundalini awakening stages, they will have reached enlightenment, and their soul will be thoroughly awakened. In addition, all negative karma from their past lives will have been destroyed, and they will have broken the cycle of birth and death, so they will not be reborn. 

Is a Kundalini awakening permanent?

A Kundalini awakening creates a significant and permanent change in a person’s mind and life. This is because the root chakra has been unblocked, and the feminine energy has moved up from the base of the spine to the crown chakra.  

Once you awaken the Kundalini energy, it will keep flowing through your system. As a result, your mind will continue to open up to new realities and higher consciousness, changing your thoughts and emotions. 

Kundalini awakening vs spiritual awakening 

Some people refer to Kundalini awakenings as spiritual awakenings, but they are not the same thing.

Spiritual awakenings are internal psychological and emotional experiences that people experience when they begin spiritual practices like yoga or meditation. Spiritual awakenings can be triggered by traumatic or life-changing events or through deep spiritual or self-study, such as a vipassana meditation retreat. 

What makes a Kundalini awakening different is that it is an energetic process that moves the life force through the chakras, specifically from the base of the spine to the crown of the head. 

Kundalini and spiritual awakenings can feel similar as they prompt you to question your life, values, and beliefs. Moreover, they both help you detach from your ego, discard your personal identity, and experience a sensation of feeling one with the Universe.

Takeaway on the Kundalini awakening stages 

The Kundalini awakening experience is intense, powerful, and life-changing. Each of the three Kundalini awakening stages plays a crucial role in the process of detaching from the ego and becoming one with the divine. 

If you are interested in experiencing Kundalini energy in your own body, I highly recommend seeking a teacher with personal experience. Through guided practices of Kundalini yoga, meditation, and breathwork, you can gain a deeper awareness of the self and reach higher levels of consciousness. 

FAQ about Kundalini awakening

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