Kundalini

(“spiral”) Kundalini, the latent spiritual
power that exists in every person, is one
of the most fundamental concepts in
tantra. It is the most vital element in the
subtle body, an alternate physiological
system believed to occupy a different
plane of existence than gross matter, but
which has certain correspondences to
the material body. The subtle body is a
set of six psychic centers (chakras),
visualized as multi-petaled lotus flowers
running along the spine and connected
by three vertical channels. Each of the
chakras symbolize human capacities,
subtle elements (tanmatras), and
sacred sounds. Above and below the
chakras are the bodily abodes of the
god Shiva (awareness) and the
goddess Shakti (power), the two divine
principles through which the entire
universe has come into being. The
underlying assumption behind this
concept is the homology (or the
similarity based on the common origin)
of macrocosm and microcosm, an
essential Hindu belief documented
in the texts of the Upanishads.
The kundalini is an aspect of the universal Shakti present in all human
beings; it is visualized as a snake coiled
three times around the muladhara
chakra, the lowest of the psychic centers. Although kundalini can be found in
all people, it is usually dormant, symbolized by its coiled state. The object of
the religious disciplines (yogas) involving the subtle body is to awaken and
uncoil the kundalini, drawing it up
through the subtle body’s central channel (sushumna), piercing through the
chakras on its way. Kundalini’s ascent
represents the awakening of spiritual
energy. This awakening must be carried
out under a guru’s supervision to prevent the aspirant from unknowingly
arousing uncontrollable forces. As each
chakra is pierced, it is believed to bring
either the destruction of obstructions or
the awakening of new capacities. When
fully extended, the kundalini rises to the
microcosmic realm of Shiva, the sahasradalapadma at the crown of the head,
to unite with Shiva in perpetual bliss.
For further information see Arthur
Avalon (Sir John Woodroffe), Shakti and
Shakta, 1978; Swami Agehananda
Bharati, The Tantric Tradition, 1977; and
Douglas Renfrew Brooks, The Secret of
the Three Cities, 1990.