Kundalini Rising

I have read a great many books on kundalini and sadly many are not the easiest read. I was delighted to see this book, which is the clearest and most comprehensive on the topic that I have ever seen. The term "Kundalini" comes originally from some of the Tantric forms of Yoga, and is believed to be a cosmic energy that lies within everyone, and is typically depicted as a coiled serpent lying at the base of the spine. Kundalini can be activated by specific practices and techniques combining purification, postures, meditation and breathing exercises or it may emerge spontaneously, particularly - but not only - in meditators. One of the reasons for my own research on the topic is that people experiencing spontaneous awakening are sometimes misdiagnosed as being mentally ill. Although the term comes from India, and we always need to examine both the from and the content of experiences, there are good reasons for believing that the kundalini experience corresponds to many associated with the Holy Spirit. In her introduction to the book Tami Simon - the publisher of Sounds True - reveals her own experience of kundalini after returning from a series of intensive meditation retreats in South Asia. At the time she had little idea what was going on, and there were few teachers or books to guide her. She also says something that I am certain is true: the kundalini experience is becoming more common. I have seen ever more people going through the experience in recent years, and many were neither meditators, or people from Hindu or Buddhist traditions. The book consists of twenty-four chapters dealing with different aspects of the kundalini experience from the subjective to the philosophical and even the neurological. Despite the number of authors there is little overlap in the chapters and a remarkable similarity in the style of the chapters, despite one of them being a reprint of a thirty-year-old interview with Gopi Krishna, the famous write on kundalini and mystical experience. I hope that this book is very widely read, not only by meditators, but also by health care professionals and anyone interested in the fruits of spiritual development and the expansion of consciousness. Very highly recommended. Richard G. Petty, MD, author of Healing, Meaning and Purpose: The Magical Power of the Emerging Laws of Life

From the introduction "Kundalini Rising comprises twenty-four essays on different aspects of the kundalini experience, including what transpersonal psychologists have to say about kundalini; understanding the yogic brain from a scientific perspective; the relationship between near-death experiences and kundalini awakening; understanding the relationships between kundalini energy and sexual energy; yogic exercises to catalyze the kundalini process; the role that kundalini awakening plays in the unfolding of our highest human potential; and more." The book opens with personal accounts of kundalini rising experiences. If you, like me, have only the vaguest ideas of what kundalini is and what kundalini rising means, definitely start here. Each essay stands alone and the points of view do not always agree, adding at least an air of objectivity to the book despite lots of flowery and mystical writing. Many of these essays were commissioned specifically for this book and there is something here to interest most anyone with even a vague curiosity about kundalini. For those who want to go deeper there are extensive notes and references to primary materials but this seems to be a good place to start.

Although you may have heard about Kundalini in yogic texts or even other books on spirituality it still remains shrouded in mystery, not understood and often feared like any other powerful unknown phenomena. Many books address the topic of awakening the Kundalini and steps to follow, but this book addresses the basic question - What is Kundalini? Do we really need to awaken it? And how would I benefit? As we go through life, we often wonder - Is there something better out there that can lift us above our mundane everyday existence? Some of us have heard about the "kundalini" experiences of other people that led them more fulfilled lives, but we remain skeptical about these methods and our ability to achieve this state of awakening. This book makes Kundalini very accessible and if like me you're the type who likes to know what they might be stepping into - even if you're told you will experience pure ecstasy - this is a great book to explore. The book has 24 essays about the various aspects of the Kundalini experience and is divided into 4 broader sections - Part 1: The Experience - Personal experiences of people who have experienced Kundalini. It has powerful and moving stories about this energy awakening which can occur spontaneously for some people. These personal experiences draw you into the book and leave you wanting to learn more about this awakening that has brought peace and happiness for those who have experienced it. The contributors to this section are authors/PhDs and make their experiences much more accessible to us. Part 2: Kundalini and Your Health: This section has account from Doctors and other PhDs who give us more understanding of what is Kundalini energy and what are the benefits of awakening it. Part 3: Kundalini at Large: This section talks about how Kundalini has been discussed in articles delving into psychology and has popped up in cultures over the world. It also goes into a deeper understanding of how Kundalini has evolved in history. Part 4: Kundalini in Motion: Kundalini yogis answer some common questions about Kundalini in this section. I particularly liked the explanation that body and mind being are very closely linked- that they form a seamless matrix and kundalini yoga being a way to increase your physical and mental well being. Personally, I think as new technologies lead us to progress and physical well being we're increasingly aware that our mental and spiritual growth must also happen for us to evolve fully. This is evident from the increased interest in yogic techniques all over the world. This book leads us further down the path to explore the process of becoming more attuned with our real self. This book needed to be written, I can't think of another book that had such lucid explanations in one volume. It made me want to now take the next step and experience this awakening. Once you've read it you will want to pass it down to someone who wants to learn more.

This is a wonderful source book for anyone practicing yoga, anyone interested in human evolution, and certainly anyone practicing Kundalini Yoga. No, you won't find instructions on how to practice Kundalini Yoga because that is best learned from a competent teacher who understands the practice and can guide you through the potential dangers of incorrect practice. The essays in this book are divided into 4 sections that are called parts. Part one is titled THE EXPERIENCE and it contains several personal accounts people who describe their experience of Kundalini awakening. The section part is titled KUNDALINI AND YOUR HEALTH and it's an exploration of the relationship of kundalini awakening to body, brain, and psychological health. The fourth part, titled KUNDALINI AT LARGE, is a collection of essays that explore Kundalini awakening in a historical, philosophical, and cultural context. The final part, titled KUNDALINI IN MOTION contains 4 essays, or musings and the book describes, by practicing yogis. I can only summarize this review by saying that I believe this book belongs in the reference library of anyone involved in any sort of yogic or meditative practice from any tradition. The Kundalini Awakening can, and does, happen to anyone regardless of their spiritual or yogic tradition. In addition to simply having an understanding of this phenomenon, I believe it's wise to have information like this handy when, and if, this awakening happens to you.