Q.
I’d like to know how kundalini energy is transmitted from a yogi or can it be transferred from one person to another? Thank you very much.Suzette
Portland, Oregon USA
A.
Hi Suzette,Kundalini is actually what holds our energy down in the lower energy centers, but it is often misidentified as the energy that moves up the spine. Energy, in the form of shakti, is what moves up and down the spine, not kundalini.
As yogis, we strive to break the grip of kundalini so shakti can freely spiral up the 3 major energy channels. We do this through the repeated practice of asanas (postures), pranayama (breath/energy control), meditation, and more. Ultimately, the 3 locked coils of kundalini, which are often pictured as a snake at the base of the spine, release energy up the spine's 3 channels.
Shakti's journey can be visualized by picturing the symbol of the American Medical Association. Two secondary energy channels, ida and pingala, rise and twist around the central channel, the sushumna. Though all 3 are significant, the free flow of energy up the central channel is the most sought after for its direct connection to the charkas, which are energy centers along the spine. When sushumna provides a clear path for shakti, as generally only the most accomplished yoga masters have experienced, we become fully realized and live in perpetual aware of oneness with the divine.
Authentically given on auspicious occasions as part of an initiation ceremony, shaktipat is performed by a guru in recognition of an aspirant's depth of knowledge and practice, usually in the Kriya yoga tradition. The teacher places his hand upon another’s third eye, which is just between and above the eyebrows, and transmits energy to propel us further along our spiritual evolution.
Beware. Although it is wonderful to receive this blessing from a true guru, historically unscrupulous teachers, who may seek self-aggrandizement, have misused this practice. If you wish to receive shaktipat, you should genuinely be very experienced in yogic practices.
It is in no way mandatory to your own spiritual development or pursuit of the spiritual path to have someone give you shakti. You have your own shakti naturally, and through the study of Kriya and Tantra yogas in particular, you can learn to direct it.
