Kundalini means 'the Rising' in the language of modern science and refer to the activation of the vast dormant areas of the brain and thus the awakening of the great human potency. The neurological capacity of the human being is incalculable. According to recent findings each individual possesses around 10 billion brain cells, a single brain cell may be in contact with 25000 others giving rise to an astronomical number of associations. Each second the brain receives approximately 100 billion sensations and sends 5000 signals per second. In contrast to these vast potentialities, we are aware of only one millionth of our own cortical signalling. So vast areas of the brain remain wasted assets. With kundalini the awakening of these areas results in their complete activation allowing us to begin to communicate with and enjoy our own higher consciousness.

The awakening of kundalini is done in order to communion between Shiva and Shakti, the two great forces within ourselves allowing us to experience higher consciousness and the absolute in the cosmos.

Care must be taken treading this path of a spiritual seeker as when the Shakti climbs up the different chakras it is in a wild state and it can encounter the demonic aspects of consciousness. There is a concentration of energy, which needs to break through something which exists like a wall. In this way the Shakti which identifies with the pure nature has to smash through many different barriers in the process of her descent to the earthly plane.

This energy is confined to different chakras.

The word chakra literally means wheel, but in a yogic context the chakras are vortices of pranic energy at specific areas in the body which control the circulation of prana. On a physical level, chakras are associated with the major nerve plexuses and endocrine glands in the body. In most people these psychic centres lie dormant and inactive.

Concernration on the chakras while performing yogic practices stimulates the flow of energy through the chakras and helps to activate them. This in turn awakens the dormant areas in the brain and the corresponding faculties in the psychic and mental bodies allowing one to experience higher planes of consciousness.

There are seven major chakras located along the sushumna which flows through the centre of the spinal cord. Sushumna originates at the perineum and terminates at the top of the head.

The chakras themselves are connected to a network of psychic channels called nadis. The chakras are usually depicted symbolically as lotus flowers each having a particular number of petals and a characteristic colour. The lotus symbolizes the 3 stages an aspirant must pass through in spiritual life; namely ignorance, aspiration and illumination.The petals of the lotus inscribed with the beej mantras represent the different manifestations of psychic energy connected with the chakras and the nadis or psychic channels. Within each chakra is a yantra comprised of the geometrical symbol of its associated element. Along with the yantra is a beej mantra. There is also a presiding deity along with the corresponding vahana which is an animal form.