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tHe sHocK oF aWaKeninG“The sudden forced arousal to activity of this hitherto inactive center creates a
condition analogous to that created by a serious accident.” P.21 Living With
Kundalini, Gobi Krishna
Spiritual awakening is damned inconvenient at the best of times. The awakening
of kundalini appears to be a major autonomic shock to the whole organism. The
shock, panic, anxiety and depression can occur regardless of the conditions in
one’s life or the personal contents of one’s mind, and despite whatever story or
explanation we give ourselves as to what is happening to us. This is probably due
to the penetration of the veil of conditioning and its repression mechanisms, along
with the hyper-activation of the adrenal glands and massive changes in the nervous
system. The first awakening appears to be more of a neoteric “shock” to the system
than subsequent awakenings, even if subsequent awakenings are more “intense.”
In my first awakening when I was 28 years I lost 30 lbs in nervous energy and my
period ceased for 6 months.
The autonomic shock could also be an expression and felt-sense of the
unconsciousness and organic blockages that are becoming apparent with the
amplification of energy and consciousness. That is the ego becomes aware that
it was only masquerading and was “not our Self ” by the Self ’s sudden appearance
and the collapse of our known self and worldview. This “disillusionment” can
create an intractable ineffable shock and depression in the beginning stages of
the awakening. The ego-mind can’t really make sense of this shock for it happens
well below conscious awareness and is unrelated to the daily world, but is simply a
phase of the metamorphic process. The personality has to learn to adjust to being
stuck in the middle of a uproar of our physiology and an inflation of our psychic
supersenses.
In Kundalini Energy & Christian Spirituality Philip St. Romain relates his ideas
on the changes in the autonomic nervous system:
- The sympathetic nerves constrict blood vessels in the skin and most visera. This
leads to an increase in heart rate and faster breathing, both of which are observed
during meditation. It may also explain the heat experienced on the skin—
particularly the shoulders. One is reminded here of yogis drying cold, wet sheets
with their shoulders. - The sympathetic nerves dilate blood vessels in the skeletal muscles. This allows
more blood to be taken to the sketetal muscles. Presumably, this once served as an
adaptive role in running from danger. During kundalini, it serves to carry more
nutrients to muscle tissues being healed from emotional pain. - Sympathetic nerves stimulate glycogenolysis, which increases blood sugar. This
serves to keep the body energized in the state of heightened nervous activity. The
Hindu’s concern for proper diet may also be related to this effect. - Sympathetic nerves stimulate adrenalin secretion, which elevates heat rate and
brings the body into a higher state of preparedness. This is also an undeniable
effect of meditation, which, paradoxically, results in an eventual lowering the
threshold of excitability. Consequently, meditators do not become stressed easily.”