Kundalini

[todo: expand this article. basic coverage for now]

Origins

The concept of Kundalini is ancient, with descriptions appearing in the Upanishads as early as the 5th to 9th centuries BCE and in even earlier oral traditions, though a distinct and popularized "Kundalini Yoga" system was introduced to the West by Yogi Bhajan in the late 1960s. The core idea of Kundalini energy, often depicted as a coiled serpent at the base of the spine, has been a part of esoteric traditions for thousands of years and was first documented in the ancient Vedic texts of Hinduism.

Ancient Origins - Earliest Ideas (Vedic/Upanishadic, c. 1500–500 BCE)

• Vedic and Upanishadic Texts: The philosophical foundations of Kundalini can be traced back to ancient India, appearing in the Vedas (c. 1500–500 BCE) and the Upanishads (c. 500 BCE and earlier).
• The Ṛg Veda (oldest stratum, c. 1500–1200 BCE) contains hymns to serpentine powers, fire (Agni) rising, breath, and vital energy (prāṇa), but it does not explicitly name kundalinī.
• The Upaniṣads (esp. later ones like the Yoga-Kuṇḍalinī Upaniṣad, perhaps compiled around the 5th–9th c. CE) do begin to describe a coiled energy at the base of the body.
• Universal Phenomenon: Descriptions of Kundalini-like experiences are found across various mystical traditions worldwide, including those of ancient Egypt, China, and Native American cultures.

Development as a Practice - Classical Yoga Period (c. 2nd century BCE – 5th century CE)

• Tantric Philosophy: The term "Kundalini" is associated with Tantrism, a tradition where it was recognized as a "serpent-like" energy in the 11th century (1000–1099CE).
• Kashmir Shaivism: The practice of working with Kundalini is deeply connected to the Tantric philosophy of Kashmir Shaivism, which arose around the 8th–10th century CE.
• Patañjali’s Yoga Sūtras (c. 2nd century BCE–2nd century CE) lay out concentration, breath control, and meditative practices that were later folded into kundalinī theory. Provide a structured system for cultivating and awakening Kundalini energy
  • But: Patañjali himself does not use the word kundalinī. Instead, later commentators (like Vyāsa) retrofitted kundalinī language onto his framework.

Modern Kundalini Yoga

• Yogi Bhajan: The distinct system known as "Kundalini Yoga as taught by Yogi Bhajan" was formalized and brought to the Western world by Yogi Bhajan starting in 1969.
• Synthesis of Practices: Yogi Bhajan's system is a combination of various yogic and Tantric practices designed to directly work with Kundalini energy to achieve spiritual awakening.