Jumpstart Your Metabolism With Kundalini Yoga: Your 10-Body Metabolism
The 10-Body Metabolic Balance
It’s important to have this broader understanding of your 10-body metabolic balance because how you use energy on these layers has a direct impact on your physical metabolism (and wellness, overall fitness and even aging velocity)!
For instance, your Praanic Body is where you hold, process and stream your “life-force” energy. When you use too much life-force on something that doesn’t need it, or you are having a hard time letting something emotional go, this can eat up your energy that would be going to healthy processes in your system. And on the other side of the coin, you don’t properly use enough of your life-force on a project that does require it – the result is stress.
Stress in the system throws off your biological energy usage. Stress triggers the production of adrenaline and cortisol in the body. Adrenaline gives you a quick spike to deal with fight or flight situations in the moment. However, cortisol attempts to support your energy levels in a more long term way.
Cortisol increases your appetite so that you have sugar to burn in extreme situations. It also increases your fat storage rate, so that you have oil to burn as well. Which is great if you are actually facing real, fight or flight situations on consistent bases. The body is so elegantly designed.
But if your stress is triggered by mismanagement of prana – more fat isn’t going to help you. Only more prana and what I would call pranic intelligence will.
This is why having a 10-body, holistic grasp on the metabolism is so crucial. Because you could be putting on weight, working out like crazy and nothing is moving. So you think, “Oh, I must need to workout more.” But it’s not about calorie burn. It’s about the pranic burn. So what you need is a pranayam to adjust your pranic output and the deep glandular secretions that rule metabolic functions in the physical body.
One thing I love about Kundalini yoga is that works on all 10-bodies every time your practice. Each Kundalini yoga set balances amplifies and enhances energy usage of all 10 layers of being – physical, pranic, and otherwise. That’s why it always is funny when people call Kundalini yoga the “breathing yoga”—both because I hope that ALL YOGA is the breathing yoga, and if you do one of these quick and efficient exercises you will experience first hand that you’re doing so much more than just breathing.
That said, one thing that makes Kundalini yoga so special is that it is brimming with countless unique and potent pranayams. The Kundalini Metabolic Booster Set I give at the end of this article contains it several of the most effective breathing techniques to reset your glandular secretions and metabolic rates. I’ve seen avid practitioners of this 9-minute set lose 10-20 lbs over several months of practice all due to the rebalancing of their whole 10 Body system.
A Kundalini Awakening not only adjusts your body’s ability to replenish energy stores and release waste hormones and fat build-up but also restores physical body glandular balance, makes you feel calm and triggers powerful, deep anti-aging. It’s fast, powerful, and effective.
Gland, Biology, Beauty, Youth, and Metabolism
Having this 10-body perspective on metabolism will change your entire existence and amplify your ability to enjoy life in a whole new way. However, your physical body (and your physical metabolism) count too! Your digestive metabolism, I would say, has the most tangible effect on how you enjoy your body and experience your day.
When you have a low metabolism, you just feel off, it affects your emotional spectrum. This is partly due to not having the energy to meet the day or to regulate your biological being in a way that leaves you clean, clear, and with vibrancy.
That said, when the metabolism is too high, you feel jittery. You can’t relax. There’s a constant kind of nervous energy that you may not register, but it makes it harder for you to find neutral.
That’s why we have to get smarter about how we adjust our biological metabolism, and be armed with the skills to know how.
When you practice Kundalini yoga you are working with a system that is adaptogenic. That means that the yoga adjusts the energy use in your body so that your system balances itself intrinsically and moment to moment. If you have a lot to burn off – Kundalini Yoga will boost your metabolic rate and help you clear out any stagnancy and build up in the body. However, the yoga sets up self-regulating energy intelligence.
This means when it’s time to relax and rejuvenate, your metabolism will slow to an appropriate rate so that you have access to the stillest parts of yourself. This clarity is important to a successful life and is the doorway to meditative experience—both in meditation and in the throws of your busy day.
The yogic “tech”, as I like to call it, behind this adaptogenic energy management is how Kundalini yoga works on and with the glands.
How Kundalini Works With the Glands
The glands are the keepers of youth and beauty.
They affect your emotions, aging rate, immunity and, of course, your metabolism. When you adjust your glands using sophisticated yogic techniques, you trigger an immediate and long term experience of health and vitality.
In the metabolic realm, your pituitary and thyroid gland are most involved. The thyroid gland produces hormones triggered by the proper secretion of the pituitary that regulate cellular energy usage. When the thyroid is underactive, your metabolism is sluggish. You’re tired and you have excess weight that just keeps you down. When the thyroid is overactive- you could be burning too much energy at an unsustainable rate. This is what leads to burnout.
Thyroid issues are an epidemic right now. And while the Western medical method has made some advances – have you or anyone you know actually recovered from thyroid disorder using Western medicine alone? Let’s be real. You need a more biologically advanced, and energetically activated way to trigger metabolic vivacity.
All three parts of the Metabolic Booster Set below powerfully adjust the pituitary/thyroid communication and secretion. They do so by stretching and compressing through the neck and thyroid area, simultaneously adjusting the correlative glands in the body, and activating your pituitary gland through your breath and eye focus.
In medical science, the pituitary gland is called the “master gland.” It commands the heath and secretion rate of all other glands in the body. So the thyroid, adrenals, pancreas, hypothalamus, and ovaries (or testes) all change based on the secretions of the pituitary gland. So when you balance the pituitary gland, you put yourself into a very deep embodied space of well-being. This is true power available to you through a very small commitment of time and energy!
Kundalini Metabolic Booster Set
(aka MASTER SET NO. 1)
Try the poses below and practice each step for equal amounts of time.
Baby Pose
Come sitting in a baby pose, arms by your side and palms facing up. Keeping the chest on the thighs, lift only the head off the ground and begin breath of fire. Lift the face up so that you are stretching your thyroid. Continue for 1 ½ – 3 minutes.
Lie on Back With Chin Tucked
Staying in the heels, if possible, come slowly rolling up and lie down onto your back. Open up the front part of your body and begin the Pranayama Breath Of Fire. Keep the chin tucked, back of the neck straight, so that the thyroid is getting triggered here through compression. Continue for 1 ½ – 3 minutes.
Squat
Come slowly out of the posture and then come into this squat variation. Bring your legs out wide, and then squat so that your thighs are parallel to the ground. Take your arms inside of the legs and then grasp the heels from the inside. Come onto the tippy-toes. Lift the torso as much as you can. Stick the tongue out of the mouth and bring a breath of fire through the mouth. Breathe from the depth of the lungs but also clear the throat and thyroid area with the breath Continue 1 ½ – 3 minutes.
Breathe and Rela
Inhale, exhale and relax.
About the Author
What Happens During a Kundalini Awakening? Stages, Signs, & Symptoms
Kundalini is an ancient concept that originated in India’s early yogic and tantric traditions thousands of years ago. It’s often described as a powerful life force energy. Kundalini represents the potential for spiritual awakening and transformation that exists within every person. Within the teachings of yoga, the rise of Kundalini is viewed as both a sacred and transformative process that unites body, mind, and spirit.
For centuries, yogis, seekers, and mystics have written about the profound changes that accompany the kundalini experience. Many describe it as an unfolding of inner energy that brings clarity, creativity, and deep spiritual connection, often cultivated through dedicated yoga practice and mindful living. This awakening can also bring old emotions or patterns to the surface for healing, sometimes even those carried from past lives. The experience is both illuminating and intense, guiding the individual toward greater self-awareness, harmony, and spiritual growth.
As we explore this mystical experience more closely, it helps to understand what Kundalini truly is and how it moves through the body to awaken higher states of consciousness.
Table of Contents
- What Is Kundalini Energy?
- What Is a Kundalini Awakening?
- Stages of a Kundalini Awakening
- 10 Kundalini Awakening Symptoms
- What Are the Dangers of Awakening the Kundalini?
- How to Safely Activate the Kundalini
- What Should You Do if You Are Experiencing a Spontaneous Awakening?
What Is Kundalini Energy?
Kundalini energy is a dormant spiritual life force believed to rest at the base of the spine, often symbolized as a coiled serpent. In yoga and tantra traditions, it represents divine consciousness that connects the physical body with the spiritual realm. When this energy awakens and rises through the body’s energy centers, or chakras, it sparks deep transformation and brings greater self-awareness, vitality, and inner harmony. This movement of energy is known as Kundalini rising. With proper guidance, the awakening of Kundalini supports balance across body, mind, and spirit while promoting healing and spiritual growth.
Kundalini is said to originate in the root chakra (Muladhara) near the base of the spine. As it ascends, it passes through each of the body’s seven chakras, including the sacral (Svadhisthana), solar plexus (Manipura), heart (Anahata), throat (Vishuddha), and third eye (Ajna) centers, before reaching the crown chakra (Sahasrara) at the top of the head. This upward movement represents the awakening of higher consciousness, guiding the individual from physical awareness toward spiritual enlightenment.
What Is a Kundalini Awakening?
A Kundalini awakening is a spiritual experience that marks the moment when dormant spiritual energy becomes active within the body, setting in motion a profound inner transformation. Rather than being a single event, it is an unfolding process that can bring waves of physical sensations, emotional release, and heightened awareness as the energy begins to move more freely.
For some, awakening occurs gradually through years of yoga, meditation, or breathwork. For others, it may arise spontaneously, sometimes triggered by deep emotional healing, a life-changing event (such as a near-death experience), or the energetic transmission of a spiritual teacher known as shaktipat. Regardless of how it begins, the awakening often reveals new levels of consciousness, creativity, and inner peace while also stirring unresolved emotions that come forward to be healed.
Because this energy can be powerful and unpredictable, traditional teachings emphasize preparation and guidance. Grounding practices, self-care, and support from an experienced yogi or spiritual mentor can help integrate the awakening experience with stability and clarity.
In Gaia’s original series Yogic Paths, one episode delves into the traditions of Kundalini and Kriya Yoga, systems designed to activate and redistribute energy within the body. The concept of kundalini is explored, along with the syncretic practice of twentieth-century Kundalini Yoga, which combines kriya, yogic movement, dynamic breathing, Sikh practices, and chanting mantras to elevate consciousness.
Stages of a Kundalini Awakening
Kundalini awakening is often described as unfolding in three main stages, each reflecting a deeper level of awareness and transformation. While every journey is unique, most experiences follow this natural progression: Awakening, Purification, and Integration.
1. Awakening
This first stage begins when dormant spiritual energy starts to move. Awakening may occur gradually through consistent yoga, meditation, or breathwork, or arise spontaneously during moments of emotional healing or insight. Many people notice heightened awareness, stronger intuition, and subtle sensations of energy flowing through the body.
2. Purification
As the energy becomes more active, old emotions, memories, and energetic blockages surface to be released. This can lead to intense emotional waves, vivid dreams, or physical sensations as the body and spirit cleanse and realign. Though sometimes uncomfortable, this stage clears the way for higher states of consciousness.
3. Integration
In this final stage, the energy flow stabilizes and awareness deepens. The individual begins to embody new levels of peace, clarity, and compassion, feeling more connected to their purpose and the divine. Integration is an ongoing process, a continual balancing of spiritual insight with everyday life.
10 Kundalini Awakening Symptoms
Kundalini awakenings can manifest through a variety of physical, emotional, and spiritual symptoms. These symptoms are indicative of the flow of energy that is activated and ascends along the spine, impacting different aspects of the individual’s life.
Physical Sensations
As kundalini energy begins to rise, it often initiates noticeable physical sensations. These changes can be intense but are usually a sign that energy is moving and blockages are beginning to clear.
1. Intense Energy Sensations in the Spine
One of the most common symptoms of kundalini awakening is the sensation of energy moving along the spine. This may feel like tingling, heat, or vibration rising from the base of the spine to the crown of the head, often described as the movement of a serpent.
2. Changes in Sleep Patterns
During kundalini awakening, it is common to experience alterations in sleep patterns. This may include insomnia, frequent awakenings during the night, or a need to sleep more than usual. These changes are a response from the body to the increase in energy and spontaneous movements.
3. Physical Pains and Tensions
The rise of kundalini energy can cause aches and tensions in different parts of the body. These pains are usually temporary and are associated with the release of energetic blockages. The most common areas of discomfort include the back, neck, and shoulders.
Emotional and Psychological Changes
Beyond the body, kundalini awakening brings deep emotional and psychological shifts. These changes can foster personal insight, spiritual connection, and greater emotional sensitivity.
4. Increased Emotional Sensitivity
Kundalini awakening can intensify emotions, making people feel more sensitive and vulnerable. Repressed emotions may rise to the surface, requiring attention and proper processing. This heightened sensitivity can also lead to a deeper empathy with others.
5. Renewed Sense of Purpose and Destiny
Kundalini awakening often brings a renewed sense of purpose and destiny. People may feel a sudden clarity about their mission in life and a strong drive toward fulfilling their deepest goals. This sense of purpose can inspire significant changes in career, relationships, and lifestyle, aligning them more closely with their true desires and values.
6. Feelings of Joy and Unconditional Love
During kundalini awakening, many people experience deep feelings of joy and unconditional love. This expansive love is not only directed toward loved ones, but also toward humanity in general and nature. This experience of universal love can transform one’s life perspective, promoting greater compassion and connection with others.
7. Episodes of Mental Clarity and Spiritual Vision
Kundalini awakening can lead to episodes of mental clarity and spiritual vision, where one attains a deeper understanding of life and the universe. These moments may include profound insights, solutions to personal problems, and a stronger connection with intuition. The mind becomes more open and receptive to new ideas and experiences, facilitating personal and spiritual growth.
Spiritual or Energetic Experiences
These symptoms reflect more subtle, energetic changes that occur as spiritual awareness expands. Often deeply transformative, these experiences may feel mystical, intimate, or even blissful.
8. Heightened Intuition and Spiritual Perception
As kundalini awakens, many people experience an increase in their intuition and spiritual perception. They may have visions, vivid dreams, or a heightened sense of connection with the universe. This increase in spiritual perception helps guide the individual on their path of self-discovery and spiritual growth.
9. Changes in Sexuality
Kundalini activation can also lead to changes in sexuality. These may include an increase in libido, new ways of experiencing pleasure, and a deeper connection with one’s partner. Sexual energy may feel more sacred and spiritually linked, leading to greater integration of body and spirit in the sexual experience.
10. Perception of Inner Lights and Colors
It is common for people going through kundalini awakening to perceive inner lights and colors during meditation or even in everyday life. These visions are often accompanied by a sense of peace and well-being, and may indicate the flow of energy through the chakras and the opening of internal spiritual channels.
What Are the Dangers of Awakening the Kundalini?
Awakening the kundalini can be a powerful and transformative experience, but it also carries certain dangers if not handled properly. Kundalini energy is intense and can cause physical, emotional, and mental imbalances if not activated and channeled correctly.
- Energy overload: A flow of energy that is too intense can cause overwhelming sensations and physical discomfort. It is important to proceed with caution and under the guidance of an experienced instructor.
- Emotional instability: The abrupt release of repressed emotions can cause anxiety, fear, and other intense emotional states. Emotional support during this process is crucial.
- Mental disorientation: Uncontrolled activation of the kundalini can lead to confusion, loss of focus, and episodes of disconnection from reality. Maintaining balance and a safe practice is essential.
- Sleep problems: Changes in sleep patterns can result in insomnia or extreme fatigue. It is important to pay attention to the body’s needs and allow for sufficient rest.
Social isolation: Intense and personal experiences may lead to isolation or difficulty relating to others. Maintaining healthy social connections is essential for emotional balance.
How to Safely Activate the Kundalini
Activating the Kundalini is a gradual process that calls for patience, preparation, and the guidance of an experienced teacher. Approaching this practice with care helps ensure a safe and balanced awakening. Try the following to support a smooth activation:
- Start with foundational practices
- Begin with gentle yoga and meditation to prepare the body and mind for increased energy flow.
- Incorporate conscious breathing (pranayama) and yoga postures (asanas) to open and balance the chakras.
- Focus on slow, mindful progress rather than forcing the experience.
- Support the body and mind
- Maintain a balanced diet, regular exercise, and adequate rest to strengthen your physical and emotional foundation.
- Stay hydrated and avoid intoxicants or unhealthy substances that can disrupt energy balance.
- Create a peaceful daily rhythm to help the body integrate energetic shifts more easily.
- Seek experienced guidance
- Work with a qualified instructor, yogi, or spiritual guide who understands Kundalini activation.
- An experienced teacher can offer safe techniques, grounding exercises, and emotional support throughout the process.
- Proper mentorship ensures that the awakening unfolds naturally, without unnecessary strain or imbalance.
What Should You Do if You Are Experiencing a Spontaneous Awakening?
A spontaneous Kundalini awakening can feel intense and confusing, but with mindful care, it can become a powerful opportunity for growth and healing. Manage the experience safely by:
- Focusing on self-care
- Practice meditation, gentle yoga, or conscious breathing to stay calm and centered.
- Prioritize rest and relaxation to help your body adjust to the energy flow.
- Seeking supportive community
- Join meditation groups, yoga classes, or spiritual circles to connect with others who understand the process.
- Sharing experiences and advice can provide comfort and perspective.
- Keeping a journal
- Record your sensations, emotions, and insights during the awakening.
- Journaling helps you track patterns, understand your progress, and reflect on lessons learned.
- Reaching out for guidance
- If the experience feels overwhelming, speak with a spiritual mentor, energy healer, or therapist familiar with Kundalini awakening.
- Proper support can help you stay grounded and integrate the changes in a healthy way.
A Kundalini awakening is a journey of surrender and growth. As the energy rises through the body, it can bring mystical experiences, moments of clarity, and a deep sense of connection to something greater. The process invites you to let go, trust, and allow the energy to move as it needs to. With patience and awareness, it can lead to balance, peace, and a lasting sense of spiritual wholeness.
