Kundalini yoga uses kriyas (combinations of poses, breath, meditation and sometimes, chanting) to work students toward an awakened Kundalini, a different level of consciousness. The 3HO Foundation, led by Yogi Bhajan, known by followers for bringing Kundalini yoga to the lay person, outlines the following as goals of Kundalini: "Experience your inner light of consciousness. Experience your own highest consciousness. Discover your real Identity."
Physical
Like other forms of hatha yoga, Kundalini incorporates physical poses (asanas) which strengthen and stretch muscles and improve balance. Along the path of trying to raise the Kundalini energy, you enjoy the benefits of building a healthier body. Once Kundalini raises, some intense physical effects may occur. Jessica Macbeth, writer for the Order of the Ascending Spirit, a non-profit religious corporation, asserts that Kundalini physical aspects may include intense heat or hot flashes, itching, trembling, loss of motor control and overall discomfort. Some students have described sensations of electricity or energy trickling up and down the spine.
Emotional and Mental
Some of the more difficult effects to deal with when experiencing a Kundalini awakening fall under emotional and mental categories. While you may feel waves of bliss and complete peace, others may feel depressed, confused and disoriented. Once you get used to living within the higher state of consciousness, which Kundalini awakens, you may experience feelings of stability, intense joy, a sense of who you truly are and a wider view of reality. Most negative effects occur in people who experience an awakening without warning or without the guidance of an instructor available. Some students claim to have psychotic breaks or nervous breakdowns after a Kundalini awakening.
Spiritual
In the "Yoga Sutras," Patanjali mentions the possibility of receiving "siddhis," or what some might refer to as supernatural powers, once a student reaches self-realization. "This spontaneous enlightenment results in intuitional perception of hearing, touching, seeing and smelling," Patanjali writes. During and after a Kundalini awakening, you may experience siddhis. This may include psychic, telekinetic or extrasensory perception. Seeking the increase of Kundalini for the sole purpose of obtaining psychic or supernatural powers is heavily discouraged by serious spiritual teachers and guides. The true gift of Kundalini awakening is meant be a strong link to the true self and the divine.
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