Kundalini
dormant energy

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If pranic energy is the life force, then what is kundalini energy? Kundalini is a concentrated form of prana, more potent but in a dormant state.

To draw an analogy, think of human bodies as these engineering marvels - perfectly planned and programmed machines; and like all machines, need energy to power them. Being perfectly planned, our human bodies have not just one, but two, built-in energy sources to power them - prana and kundalini.

Prana can be compared, for the purpose of this analogy, to the electricities that power urban areas. Like the power stations that generate electricity need coal or natural gas, so too our bodies need food to generate pranic energy. This pranic energy flows to all parts of the body via nadis, just like wires and cables carry electricity across urban areas. This is the default energy source, activated at birth.

Kundalini on the other hand, can be likened to nuclear energy - powerful, plentiful, self sustaining. As it is such a potent energy, this source is not activated at birth. Tapping into this energy source requires training and skill, just like the keys to a nuclear reactor are not handed to just anyone.

Some call kundalini energy a deep still pool of energy and prana the vapour that rises from it - a neat way to show the difference in the potencies of the two kinds of energies.

So where can we find the keys to this built-in potent energy reactor we carry within us? The many forms of yoga make up the bunch of keys that can activate kundalini.

This dormant nuclear reactor embedded in the human body is said to lie at the base of the spine, and is symbolised by a snake, coiled upon itself three and a half times, with its tail in its mouth. A snake is usually seen only when it moves, just like the kundalini's existence can only be realised when it awakens.

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