One of the most underrated elements of an awakening process is that it is functional.
In Kundalini awakening, we appreciate altered states of bliss, deep peace, spontaneous flowing wisdom and other special gifts of the awakening process. All of these are beautiful. Yet to me, one of the most important qualities of awakening is that the process itself is functional.
Functionality may not have the wow factor of spiritual gifts and siddhis, but it is essential to our wellbeing.
Maybe it’s my country-girl upbringing, but being functional in the world is valuable to me. And to the thousands of clients I’ve supported.
So, what is a functional awakening?
Quite simply, in a functional awakening, you can function reasonably well in your life and in the world, and you can at the very, very least, take care of your survival needs.
The Kundalini process is challenging enough without having to add to it the daily stress of wondering how you are going to fulfill your survival needs, especially if Kundalini has affected your ability to care for or provide for yourself or your loved ones.
Let’s face it. Most of us are not waking up in sacred enclaves of spiritual protection and nurturance such as ashrams, monasteries and Himalayan cave retreats.
We are waking up in the midst of noisy, busy, stressful and cacophonous modern life.
Most of us have jobs to hold down, children to treasure and raise well, bills and taxes to pay, important relationships both personal and professional which we need to sustain, nurture and show up for.
And we have our health to take care of so we can maintain all of this.
On top of that, a Kundalini process can be like a second career.
It’s an inside job, one in which we are asked to reevaluate our relationship with ourselves at every level, deal with strange occurrences in our body, occasionally wonder if we are going crazy, swot on the internet about the processes of Kundalini, tune into what is happening to us in most moments of the day and complete a Master’s degree in spiritual transformation.
So considering the fact that we are accomplishing a lot while waking up in the midst of modern life, being supported by a functional and less chaotic awakening process can be a very good thing.
One of my fundamental definitions of a functional awakening is it allows us to maintain some or all of our responsibilities, most importantly our responsibility to ourselves and our wellbeing. It’s an awakening process where the Kundalini is regulated and stable and your body is reasonably healthy considering the amount of change it’s going through.
A regulated Kundalini process is one in which the Shakti that is released from its storage site at your pelvic floor (from the base of your body) is at a rate that your body can digest, process and integrate.
This means the rate at which Shakti purifies your physical and energetic body runs at a speed at which your body, psyche and nervous system can cope.
If you cannot cope with your Shakti process, it’s hard to cope with life.
Shakti is big business for the body, psyche and energetic system. It demands a lot from your hormone and nervous systems and can be deeply draining at a cellular level.
If the balance between the amount of Shakti releasing and active in your body matches the capacity of your system to handle it, then you will have a much better chance of managing in the everyday world and maintaining your life.
You will have a more stable body, a calmer mind and a more coherent energetic system. This will enable you to be able to handle the pressure and expectations of everyday life and simultaneously navigate your awakening process — you can handle the immense changes happening in both your inner and outer life.
And most importantly, it will help you sleep!
These are two of the most important things I share with my clients and students.
This knowledge transforms and even saves lives.
I have worked with many people who were deeply depressed, anxious, suicidal or hopeless because an explosive or rapid Kundalini eruption had eroded their health, destroyed their ability to sleep and/or they have had to leave or take breaks from their employment or lost precious relationships. They have found it hard to survive the impact of unregulated Shakti on their systems, and understandably so.
By supporting these people to regulate their Kundalini process and Shakti, and to build a new and empowered relationship to sacred Kundalini, they are able to recover their health, adjust to the impact of awakening and return to everyday life.
Many of these people are now leaders in their fields, more present parents, in content relationships and have stable wellbeing at every level.
They are satisfied with and enjoy both their rich inner life and their stable outer life as they awaken.
And when Kundalini gets a little excited or overactive, they have the tools, skills and ability to regulate it again themselves. That is an empowered relationship with Kundalini.
That, to me, is a healthy, functional awakening.
How is a functional awakening valuable to you? Please leave your thoughts below. I love hearing from you.
With passion for your awakening,
15 Comments
So lovely! Thanks.
I love this articile . so Cool. I find it so important to ground awakenings into the western culture. I live in London, and making sense of it within the challenges we face and the culture we experience is so important. And the future, as more awakenings happening integrating it into this lifestyle I think is critical for me/others to find peace, harmony with the process. Big Love, T
Hi Thomas,
So Great to hear from you, and yes I can only imagine the pressure and challenge to ground and awakening in London!And a big yes to finding peace and harmony with the awakening process. Thanks for sharing.
Blessings,
Myree x
Thank You! I look forward to reading and learning from your future writing’s, coming from a similar place of little or no support with my awakening, i have only been able to find mixed information on the internet, for grounding/coping however this article resonated with me and offers hope
Hi Reece, so great to connect with you. Yes, its hard to find gritty, real and practical guidance. If you have a question or a topic on awaking you would like covered send me an email or make a note here and I will include it on my list to cover.Your awakening matters!
Blessings,
Myree
Thank you, beautifully and thoughtfully written as always, and very timely. Much love xx
Hi Justine,
Ahh the sweet spirit of right timing, its always a mysterious blessing. So great to hear from you and that this was of service!
Love Myree x
Hi Myree, I am also living in the west and yes, it is difficult to allow yourself the stillness, the peaceful protected isolation you need. Without people judging and gossiping, “oh she Hansen’ t come out of the house for ages.. no work again….” I’ve even had family members gossiping about me, wondering if I’ve gone mad!
Relationships do break, during this intense period, as they can’t change as fast as you do. But it’s no great loss really, it never was real..
One question for you, you are suggesting a “managed, or controlled” unfolding of energy. But I was told to leave it alone, let it do its thing.. do not obstruct, or it will create resistance. Please guide me, ad to how you would “regulate” this energy.
Hi Nima,
Thank you for your message and sharing.
It is not about obstructing the flow of kundalini, that is true and important not to obstruct it. Instead it about settling the kundalini flow down, soothing it, supporting it, harmonising things that may have stressed or overstimulated it, especially when it initially awakened. I find this process is unique for each person and difficult to sum up in such a short reply. I would also add that cultivating a good relationship with kundalini is also essential and it sounds like you have and are continuing to create this.
Many blessings,
Myree .
Thank you
Love Nima
I am touched by your responses, many blessings to you and your awakening dear Nima!
I have done extensive studies via my own Kundalini related sites on the differences (difficulties) between those who have been SPONTANEOUSLY K-Activated and those who have been “awakened” intentionally with proper training.. The differences are often times vast! I being of the SPONTANEOUS type, and others like me, tend to have to go through an extremely DARK period, often times referred to as THE DARK NIGHT OF THE SOUL (should be DARK NIGHTS, as there are many!). Many who have gone the intentional/teacher route seem to be oblivious to this (phase?). For me, out of the 7yrs of active Kundalini about 5yrs of it was spent in HELL! THE DARK NIGHTS almost killed me! It is like being trapped in a horror movie you can’t get out of! I was ready to quit (commit suicide) more times than I could count.. My whole world was dark and oppressive. I had to quit my job, lose my house, and leave my family in order to do a walk about in Mexico (was directed to do so by what would turn out to be THE TRICKSTER). I was FOLLOWING BLINDLY, without questioning, and lost much by doing so.. I had to learn discernment – that all of the UNSEEN is not to be followed blindly.. I had to learn clearing and protection techniques, which eventually brought an end to my 5yr Dark period.. The day it ended all became eerily quiet! The Kundalini became inactive and peace returned.. I welcomed it so (still do!). But much damage came from this lengthy period IN THE DARK. I can only compare it to a frontline soldier who fought many battles, only to have to try to return to civilization (normalcy) with PTSD.
The first two years were blissful, what I refer to as THE HONEYMOON PERIOD. I couldn’t get enough, l was addicted to THE HIGH. I also felt very SPECIAL, which THE DARK NIGHTS would humble me of.. There is too much to go into here, but my point is, one must be very careful during K-Awakening. It’s not always all rosey (see Kundalini Syndrome and other case studies on it). I say this from experience not hypothesis. A HUGE trap within Spirituality as a whole, and particularly those seeking K-activation, is that it attracts people who are suffering and looking for an ESCAPE. Kundalini will not allow you to ESCAPE that which you fear. In fact, it will bring it to the forefront and challenge you to deal with it head on! Yes, this sounds great, and eventually will lead you to have more INNER FREEDOM, but THE PROCESS can (and sometimes does) take you to the brink..
It’s been 11yrs now since my Kundalini DEACTIVATED. I have been in a state of ASSIMILATION ever since.. I am proud that I made it through such a difficult phase, but would never want to go through that again! PEACE BE WITHIN. Gary
Dear Gary,
Thank you again for your amazing sharing. What a huge journey and you have EVERY right to be deeply proud of yourself and I am very moved by your courage, strength and that you found your way to completion. Yes, I agree the difference between intentional, prepared and guided kundalini and a spontaneous awakening can sometimes be great and often those who have had a smooth unfolding cannot imagine the challenges when it is unintentional and unsought. And yes, I have concerns too about those who are very vulnerable choosing kundalini as a path to freedom without knowing clearly the tasks that lie on such a spiritual path. Enjoy every drop of integration. You have earned it.
Blessings,
Myree
PS Upon my return from the Mexico walk about my family (wife and two young daughters) took me back. I am so grateful that within all that K-DISTRUCTION I was not left to be alone.. I know I would not be here today if that were the case….. Gary
That is such beautiful and heartfelt news! What a joy for such a reunion and reactivation of family life.
Blessings!
Myree