Kundalini is best described as a coiled rope of energy that rests at the bottom of your spine. It sits there, waiting to be released, which is what happens when you have a kundalini awakening. When this happens, you begin living in a more divinely feminine way – in tune to the rhythms of Mother Nature and your place in her cosmic flow. You live from a place of evolution and deep wisdom. (What is an awakening?)
Kundalini energy lives within all of us; however, it’s not something a Western doctor can find, per se. Rather, kundalini is part of our body's energy system, in which nadis and meridians reside. When you awaken this energy, it has the power to dissolve energetic blockages. Awakened kundalini can help dissolve samskaras – those mental and emotional patterns that might be holding you back. Compulsive thoughts and behaviors decrease when kundalini energy flows freely.
If you hear someone talking about shakti, they’re also talking about kundalini, as the two words are often used interchangeably. (How do I hold shakti?) While Shakti is feminine and Shiva is masculine, both men and women can have a kundalini awakening because we all hold both masculine and feminine energies within our subtle energy body.
If you want to have a kundalini awakening, I would suggest beginning the practice of Kundalini yoga. Do it every other day. Then sit in silent meditation after you finish the practice. You might have a kundalini awakening spontaneously – maybe because you’ve been practicing yoga for years and years. When it happens, you might feel a profound heart-opening kind of experience, with energy buzzing throughout your entire body. You might feel at one with everything and all that is.
If any of this confuses you, consider talking to an advanced yoga teacher about kundalini. It’s a profound subject and one to explore for the rest of your life!