A Kundalini Story
Ever heard the word? Ever had a kundalini experience? A kundalini transformation?
It's not exactly a household word in this culture. Though most of us have likely heard of kundalini yoga, I wonder how many people know what the word means. And who has felt and been altered by "kundalini rising."
I take an intense interest in the subject. My new novel Cobalt Blue focuses on a woman who has a spontaneous eruption, for which she is totally and dangerously unprepared.
A review of Cobalt Blue in Star-News by Ben Steelman sums up vividly what happens to 38 year-old Andie Branson, a commercial artist in Pinehurst, NC:
"Enormous bolts of electric energy seem to well from the base of her spine and radiate all through her body. She feels as if she's floating in light. Her perceptions seem to sharpen; everything seems brighter, clearer.
The moment passes, but Andie feels changed. Suddenly, she attacks projects she hasn't tried in years – real, creative, experimental artwork…."
In short and no doubt over-simplified terms, kundalini is a reservoir of psychic energy stored at the base of the spine. The concept is ancient and a similar idea occurs in many religions. Example: chi. The word kundalini, from Sanskrit, is used by the tantric devotees within Buddhism and Hinduism. Tantra means weaving: a joining of sacred body and soul, rather than dividing our essence into "bad" flesh and "good" spirit.
When the kundalini rises through the chakras and all goes well, it is union with the divine. This "awakening" can also, as with Andie, create havoc. Located where it is at the base of the spine, the overstimulation can be sexual, in addition to throwing other systems out of whack. This is called "wrong rising."
How did I come to write about it? That is a long story, which I will unfold here another day. Right now, I'd like to know if you've had a kundalini experience. Do you know what triggered it? Did it change you?
Categories: enhancing creativity
Tags: kundalini, kundalini experience, kundalini rising, kundalini story, kundalini yoga, Peggy Payne, tantra, wrong rising
Comments
yes, the Wrong — why institutions have developed policies — I don't know how much to say it changed me or the some localized part of me brought it (and me) about. At times while reading the book (which I am delighted to say I have already finished) I had to close the page and turn aside (much excitement) before returning later to turn more (pages).
Interesting, Bob! Would love if you added details to this conversation. And of course I’m pleased that Cobalt Blue was so stirring.
No, I haven't had one. I did meditate for quite a few years, but never got to that point. Then I had an experience during meditation that scared me – and that was the end of that.
I would really love to know your "long story!"
Fascinating that you had that meditation experience, kenju. Was that the end of meditating for you? I pulled back out of fear once while meditating and was mad at myself later. My long story — I’m working on making sense of it, making some progress.
No Kundalini for me, either, but I would *love* to hear your story and I can't wait to read Cobalt!!
Thanks, Beth. And I’m gathering my thoughts.