All righty, I’ve got an email here from someone asking a question about the Kundalini Awakening Purification Process, so let’s dive in. Watch the video, read the article, or do both!
You said that a Kundalinī awakening highlights when you’re deluded, stuck, attached, in aversion, or out of alignment with reality. It must eventually lead to the resolution of these things—question mark?
First up, it’s not that I say that—it’s the teachings of Tantra. I want to make that clear. I’m highly influenced by Nondual Tantra, and I read and study the texts. Nondual Tantra has a lot to say about Kundalinī, because that’s where the word actually originates.
In classical Tantra the term kuṇḍalinī appears first in texts such as the Siddha‑yogeśvarī‑mata and the Kālottara, where it is described not as a coiled snake-like energy at the base of the spine, but as the generative matrix of the universe, the womb of the world.
In the Vijñāna‑Bhairava‑Tantra (VBT) there is a doctrine of two kuṇḍalinīs (upper and lower) that are to merge in the central channel (suṣumnā) as part of awakening.
The teachings say that when Kundalinī awakens, it initiates a purification process—one that purifies all the conditioning within the apparent limited sense of self.
The activation of kuṇḍalinī brings to the surface latent impressions, emotional and somatic charges, unintegrated energies and traumas. The purification is the clearing, integration, transmutation of these.
The process is described as a descent and ascent of energy: the upper kuṇḍalinī descends, the lower kuṇḍalinī compresses and rises, eventually meeting in the central channel. This metaphor speaks to the purification of both higher and lower energies, the integration of spiritual and embodied. Christopher Wallis has an excellent article that provides a scholarly review of Kundalni in the texts – check it out here.
Ideally, we’ve done a lot of practice prior to awakening, and that practice handles much of the purification. But for many people, awakening happens before that groundwork, so the purification process can be really intense. It is somatic, emotional, energetic and cognitive – plus there is often a paradigm shift in how one perceives self and the world.
Does It Have to Lead to Resolution?
Not necessarily—it depends. It depends on how the person orients to the purification process.
Do they numb, distract, or go into addiction?
Do they deny, repress, or suppress?
Or do they seek out good teachers, good teachings, solid practice, and a supportive community?
Do they dedicate themselves to allowing, surrendering, and supporting the purification?
How you approach the Kundalini Awakening purification process determines the level of resolution of those tendencies.
🪷 The First Step Once You Recognise What’s Happening
The person asked: “What’s the first step once you realise Kundalinī awakening is the cause?”
I’m guessing they mean the cause of increased intensity in life—because of the purification process unfolding.
The first step in dealing with the Kundalini Awakening purification process is to find a great teacher, great teachings, great practice, and great community.
As the Buddha says, take refuge in the Three Jewels—teacher, teaching, and community.
Find a teacher you can trust, who can guide you through the process—whether in a group setting or one-to-one.
And yes, I work with people one-to-one, and I’m about to launch more group opportunities. But there are many incredible teachers out there on the awakening continuum who can support you.
Check their credentials and their community.
Have they gone through Kundalinī awakening or another awakening experience?
Are they grounded in texts and lineage?
At the same time, some of the best teachers don’t have formal lineages. One amazing example is Kiran Trace. She had a spontaneous awakening about 10–15 years ago, took time to integrate it, and now teaches from that lived experience. She’s not lineage-based, but she’s done the work and integrated the process.
So—once you realise Kundalinī awakening might be the cause of chaos in your life:
Find a great teacher, great teachings, great practice. Show up and devote yourself.
🧘♀️ How Do You Know It’s Kundalinī?
How do you know you’ve had a Kundalinī awakening, as opposed to another kind of awakening or reality shift?
In some ways, it doesn’t matter. The term Kundalinī awakening is often used to describe experiences that traditionally wouldn’t have been classified that way. Sometimes it’s just movement of prāṇa.
Christopher Wallis, in Tantra Illuminated, describes nine stages of Kundalinī awakening—an excellent traditional resource. (Note it’s not called Kundalini Awakening in the pre-modern tradition. It was called Shaktipat.)
But really, the question “Is it Kundalinī or something else?” is less important than why you’re on the path.
What is your desire?
Are you seeking self-realisation—awakening to what you truly are, beyond the separate self?
Or self-actualisation—healing, integrating, and realising your potential as a human being?
You can be highly self-actualised but not self-realised.
You can also be self-realised and still have unresolved karma that makes you difficult to be around.
Awakening is not a panacea—it doesn’t automatically make you a radiant, flawless human.
🌿 Awakening vs. Healing
You might have had Kundalinī experiences over the years—but you don’t need to define them. What matters is:
Do you want to wake up?
Do you want self-realisation?
Then find the teacher, teachings, and practices that support that desire.
If you’ve become more self-confident and resolved emotional blockages through practice, that’s self-actualisation—the human healing process. From the perspective of awakening, though, there’s no “self” to be confident. There’s only awareness.
So sometimes the very questions we ask break down under deeper inquiry.
Ultimately, it comes back to the same thing:
Find good teachers, teachings, and practices. Devote yourself. Show up. Do the work.
And if you carry karmic imprints or trauma, it’s helpful to work with a somatic therapist. Only doing spiritual practice might not be enough. It’s often both/and—spiritual and somatic work together.
It’s nuanced. It depends on the person and what’s unfolding.
All right, that’s it for now. Thank you.
✨ Summary: Key Takeaways
- Kundalinī awakening originates from Tantrik teachings and initiates a purification process that dissolves conditioning in the sense of self.
- Resolution isn’t guaranteed—it depends on orientation. Avoid repression, distraction, or numbing; instead, dedicate yourself to sincere practice and support.
- First step: Find a trustworthy teacher, grounded teachings, regular practice, and community (the Three Jewels).
- Labels don’t matter: Whether it’s Kundalinī or another form of awakening, focus on your intention—self-realisation (awakening to true nature) or self-actualisation (human growth and healing).
- Awakening ≠ perfection: One can awaken and still carry karmic patterns or trauma that require integration.
- Combine spiritual and somatic therapy work: Both are often necessary for full integration.
- Bottom line: Show up, practice, and devote yourself to the path.
Mentoring with Kara-Leah
Kara-Leah has worked with hundreds of clients and students as a mentor. She helps people identify and dissolve their conditioning, reprogramme their operating systems (psyches), and step into their desired experience of life. You can book a 1:1 Session with Kara-Leah or explore committing to a container than includes weekly 1:1 Sessions, and access to The Toolbox which includes 100s of classes, talks, guided audio practices, and more.
Beyond the Window of Tolerance: Alchemy, Co-Regulation, and Completing the Unfinished Cycle