Kundalini — Definition

Kundalini is imagined as a serpent of energy lying dormant at the root chakra. Through sustained practice — pranayama, mantra, asana, devotion — the energy is said to rise through the chakras toward the crown, producing states ranging from clarity to overwhelm. The classical texts treat kundalini awakening as a serious matter best approached with a teacher. In Western popular spirituality the term is often used loosely; the original tradition is more cautious and more demanding.

Origin

From the Sanskrit kundalini, "coiled one." Central to Shakta and Tantric strands of Hindu philosophy.

Example

Practitioners often describe a kundalini awakening as a sustained energetic shift rather than a single event — months or years of recalibration.