The following are common manifestations of the risen Kundalini:

• Muscle twitches, cramps or spasms.

• Energy rushes or immense electricity circulating the body

• Itching, vibrating, prickling, tingling, stinging or crawling sensations

• Intense heat or cold

• Involuntary bodily movements (occur more often during meditation, rest or sleep): jerking, tremors, shaking; feeling an inner force pushing one into postures or moving one's body in unusual ways.  (May be misdiagnosed as epilepsy, restless legs syndrome, or PLMD
• Alterations in eating and sleeping patterns

• Episodes of extreme hyperactivity or, conversely, overwhelming fatigue

• Intensified or diminished sexual desires

• Headaches, pressures within the skull

• Racing heartbeat, pains in the chest

• Digestive system problems

• Numbness or pain in the limbs (particularly the left foot and leg)

• Pains and blockages anywhere; often in the back and neck

• Emotional outbursts; rapid mood shifts; seemingly unprovoked or excessive episodes of grief, fear, rage, depression

• Spontaneous vocalizations (including laughing and weeping) -- are as unintentional and uncontrollable as hiccoughs

• Hearing an inner sound or sounds, classically described as a flute, drum, waterfall, birds singing, bees buzzing but which may also sound like roaring, whooshing, or thunderous noises or like ringing in the ears.

• Mental confusion; difficulty concentrating

• Altered states of consciousness: heightened awareness; spontaneous trance states; mystical experiences (if the individual's prior belief system is too threatened by these, they can lead to bouts of psychosis or self-grandiosity)

• Heat, strange activity, and/or blissful sensations in the head, particularly in the crown area.

• Ecstasy, bliss and intervals of tremendous joy, love, peace and compassion

• Psychic experiences: extrasensory perception; out-of-body experiences; pastlife memories; astral travel; direct awareness of auras and chakras; contact with spirit guides through inner voices, dreams or visions; healing powers

• Increased creativity: new interests in self-expression and spiritual communication through music, art, poetry, etc.

• Intensified understanding and sensitivity: insight into one's own essence; deeper understanding of spiritual truths; exquisite awareness of one's environment (including "vibes" from others)

• Enlightenment experiences: direct Knowing of a more expansive reality; transcendent awareness

Some people have told us they find the concept of "Kundalini" foreign and prefer to simply call this their "awakening," which is fine with us. But for most who contact us, the Kundalini explanation provides an important framework with which to accept and work with their experiences. We each have a unique way of interpreting, honoring and describing our spiritual wisdom. I do not believe there is only one right way to know or express the truth. Far more important, I believe, is to have an open heart and to be faithful to our own path, wherever it may lead.

We have also been asked why we do not put more emphasis on union with the Divine and God-realization, which are very much central to spiritual awakening. Since everyone experiences and interprets their mystical experiences differently and very personally, to make sure no one will feel excluded, we just speak of "awakening consciousness" or "transcendent states" on the ST Web pages. In our Shared Transformation newsletter, individuals with variant religious beliefs are welcome to (and DO) tell about their experiences of this sort. Some speak of God, Christ, Goddess, the Holy One, Spirit, or simply a magnificent Whole in which we all partake.

Also, for some people, profound spiritual realizations do not occur until months or years after the other signs and symptoms. Individuals who are having experiences of an obvious spiritual nature are usually more able to integrate and benefit from the process, regardless of how they may label it. But those who experience what seems to be illness or weird psychic phenomena often are very alarmed until they understand that they are not sick or crazy. And even the enlightening and beautiful experiences can be so powerful that people doubt their sanity. This is why the information and validation we offer in the ST newsletters and the opportunity to exchange insights with others through Shared Transformation's Friends Online and the Kundalini Mailing List is so valuable.

A more detailed list of Kundalini manifestations can be found in Shared Transformation newsletter, Issue #5.  For a free introductory copy of ST newsletter (only Issue #1 is free), send a #10 self-addressed, stamped envelope to: http://www.elcollie.com/st/chap5.html