Kundalini Experiences in Meditation
I have had periods in my meditation practice when I’ve gone through what seem to be to be best described as Kundalini Experiences. I sort of use this name reluctantly because when I have searched for an explanation of what happens to me sometimes in meditation it is here that I’ve found the most likely explanation. I am talking here about uncontrolled movement that can take over my body and strange visions. To a person who doesn’t meditate these might seem a sign of madness, but apparently this type of thing in common when you meditate – at least for many of us.
I first my first kundalini experience after a very intensive retreat at Wat Rampoeng in Northern Thailand; this was about seven years ago. This followed 26 days of high intensity meditation with the last 72 hours involving constant meditation and no sleep. When the body movements first occurred they frightened the hell out of me; I felt that I was going mad. Having your body move all over the place without your control is really scary. I told the meditation master about it and he just told that this was normal and to just keep meditating. Since that time I have had this occur again on a number of occasions. It can be quite pleasant when it begins but after a few days it can become almost unpleasant; these symptoms usually stop altogether after a couple of weeks. My body always feels relaxed after it has all passed.
There are explanations in Thai Buddhism for why these experiences occur, but it is usually just glossed over; you are advised to just observe until it passes. I have always been a bit rebellious though; for me Buddhism is a philosophy and not a dogma. If I find a better explanation for something elsewhere then I will go with that. Kundalini seems to have a lot of opinions about these meditation effects, but the thing that puts me off is that it seems to attract a lot of crackpots or con artists out to make some money out of naive people. I have found it hard to find advice that comes across as genuine.
I have heard that some people have had mental breakdowns because of strange happenings in meditation. It is very believable. Meditation has only ever benefited my life though, so I have faith that it will continue to do so. Maybe the Buddhist monks are right; just observe this strange phenomena and let it pass.
