The Swiss Psychiatrist Carl Jung and the Indian philosophy of Kundalini energy and yoga may seem like disparate topics but there is a connection. The existence of Kundalini energy is an ancient belief, but it was one that had little impact on the Western world until the last century. In 1932, Jung made some comments on the Indian theory that sparked the interest of the Western world in the latent source of energy and the related yoga practice.
Carl Jung
Jung spent his career focused on the inner workings of the mind and studying how each person's personal mental landscape informs his or her life. Symbolism in dreams and daily life, mythology, and philosophy heavily shaped his theories. Eastern thought and religions such as Hinduism and Buddhism were also personal passions for the psychiatrist. He had a history of lucid dreaming and visions that, at times, he thought bordered on the psychotic. He coined the term "collective unconscious" to describe our memories as a species -- such as how we know to walk, eat or mate, according to Dr. C. George Boeree.
Kundalini Yoga
Kundalini is the Indian theory of an untapped energy source that resides coiled, snakelike, at the base of the spine. Adherents of this philosophy believe that by raising this energy through the spine to the brain, you can reach personal enlightenment, according to Dr. Jeffrey Mishlove. One way to attempt to move this energy up the spine is by performing Kundalini yoga, a form of yoga that focuses on movements that manipulate the spine.
Jung's Thoughts on Kundalini
Jung presented his thoughts on Kundalini energy and yoga at a 1932 meeting of the Psychological Club in Zurich. His comments were among the first widely heard in the West on the subject of developing higher consciousness in the East, according to Princeton University Press. His comments posed as many questions as they answered. He addressed both the parts of religion and psychotherapy that were taught and those which were spontaneous and individual. He also opened the door for many conversations regarding what could be considered an enlightening religious experience and what might consitute a psychotic episode. He saw the two as closely related.
Rise of Kundalini
It was because of Jung's interest in and comments on Kundalini that the theory became widely studied in the West. Other analysts began to study the energy theory and many Westerners took up Kundalini yoga and related studies and practices such as tantra.
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