Kundalini refers to the cosmic energy that lies dormant in most people. It is sometimes identified with Shakti, the Great Goddess who is equated with divine energy.

When dormant, the kundalini is said to lie coiled like a snake (kunda means coiled) at the base of the spine, but it can gradually be raised upwards through the spine using meditation techniques including postures, purification practices, ritual gestures and regulated breathing.

This process of raising the kundalini, called Kundalini yoga, is considered physically and psychologically beneficial throughout, but the ultimate goal is to induce the kundalini to rise to the top of the spine and into the brain. This is said to result in union with Shakti (divine energy) or atman (the cosmic Self), which is accompanied by an extraordinary state of awareness and bliss.

Kundalini Rising

The practice of kundalini yoga centers on raising the kundalini, or dormant psychic energy, through the body's seven major chakras, or centers of conciousness. The seven chakras are:

1. Muladhara chakra - base of the spine
2. Svadhishthana chakra - near the genital organs
3. Manipura chakra - behind the navel
4. Anahata chakra - at the heart
5. Vishuddha chakra - at the throat
6. Ajna chakra - behind the point between the eyebrows (the "third eye")
7. Sahasrara chakra - the cerebral cortex

Each chakra is associated with a different set of psychic powers and spiritual experiences. For example, accessing the vishuddha chakra in the throat bestows powers of telepathy and prophecy, while activating the ajna chakra on the forehead brings universal knowledge.