Characteristics of Kundalini-Related Sensory, Motor, and Affective Experiences During Tantric Yoga Meditation.
Frontiers in Psychology June 30, 2022 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2022.863091 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Exploratory pilot survey (cross-sectional questionnaire study) Pilot study Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 80 |
| Population | Volunteer meditators at two Ananda Marga Tantric Yoga retreats |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Key findings | Among 80 Ananda Marga meditators, positive mood shifts were the most prevalent spontaneous meditation experience, followed by motor and sensory experiences. Experience frequency was not related to meditation quantity or trait mindfulness and affect. Some participants reported rising sensations, sometimes called kundalini, often with positive or ecstatic qualities; these individuals could not be distinguished from others on experience incidence, practice quantity, or trait measures. Greater Tantric Yoga meditation practice was associated with greater positive affect, less negative affect, and greater mindfulness. |
Abstract
Traditional spiritual literature contains rich anecdotal reports of spontaneously arising experiences occurring during meditation practice, but formal investigation of such experiences is limited. Previous work has sometimes related spontaneous experiences to the Indian traditional contemplative concept of kundalini. Historically, descriptions of kundalini come out of Tantric schools of Yoga, where it has been described as a "rising energy" moving within the spinal column up to the brain. Spontaneous meditation experiences have previously been studied within Buddhist and Christian practices and within eclectic groups of contemplative practitioners. Prior explorations of kundalini have emphasized extreme experiences, sometimes having clinical consequences. We conducted a first such investigation of kundalini-related experiences within a sample of meditators from a single Tantric Yoga tradition (known as Ananda Marga) that emphasizes the role of kundalini. We developed a semi-structured questionnaire to conduct an exploratory pilot investigation of spontaneous sensory, motor and affective experiences during meditation practice. In addition to identifying the characteristics of subjective experiences, we measured quantity of meditation, supplemental practices, trait affect and trait mindfulness. We administered it to 80 volunteers at two Ananda Marga retreats. Among reported experiences, we found the highest prevalence for positive mood shifts, followed by motor and then sensory experiences. The frequency of spontaneous experiences was not related to the quantity of practiced meditation or trait measures of mindfulness and affect. Self-reports included multiple descriptions of rising sensations, sometimes being directly called kundalini. Experiences with rising sensations were complex and many included references to positive affect, including ecstatic qualities. There were also reports of spontaneous anomalous experiences. These experiences of rising sensations resemble prior clinical descriptions that were considered kundalini-related. The individuals who reported rising sensations could not be distinguished from other participants based on the incidence of experiences, quantity of meditation practice, or trait measures of mindfulness and affect. In contrast, greater amount of Tantric Yoga meditation practice was associated with greater positive affect, less negative affect and greater mindfulness. Further study of these exploratory findings and how they may be related to spiritual and well-being goals of meditation is warranted along with scientific investigation of purported kundalini phenomena.
Comparable studies
Other cross-sectional and survey studies on meditation, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Construct Validity of the Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire in Meditating and Nonmeditating Samples Experienced meditators and nonmeditating comparison groups | 2008 | Cross-sectional study | |
| Neural Correlates of Dispositional Mindfulness During Affect Labeling Adult participants | 2007 | Observational cross-sectional | n = 27 |
| Assessing mindfulness in children and adolescents: Development and validation of the Child and Adolescent Mindfulness Measure (CAMM). School-aged children and adolescents | 2011 | Cross-sectional validation study | n = 1,413 |
| Mindfulness and self-compassion as predictors of psychological wellbeing in long-term meditators and matched nonmeditators Experienced meditators and demographically matched nonmeditators | 2012 | Cross-sectional study | n = 152 |
| Mechanisms of Action in the Inverse Relationship Between Mindfulness and Psychological Distress Undergraduates | 2008 | Cross-sectional, correlational |
Citations in the library
Cited by 9
- Reducing and deducing the structures of consciousness through meditation. Frontiers in Psychology 2022
- Yoga-A complementary and traditional medicine for human health. Journal of integrative medicine March 1, 2025
- Effects of Yoga-Based Intervention with Bhramari Pranayama and Chakra Meditation on Sympatho-Vagal Balance in Perimenopausal Women: A Randomized Controlled Trial Physical rehabilitation and recreational health technologies August 30, 2026
- Towards a neurophysiological model of kundalini: a theoretical framework informed by preliminary clinical observations Frontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience June 10, 2026
- Mindfulness and devotion in Tantric Yoga: evidence of a strong trait association Frontiers in Psychology March 19, 2026
and 4 more in the library
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- The varieties of contemplative experience: A mixed-methods study of meditation-related challenges in Western Buddhists PLoS One May 24, 2017
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- Unwanted effects: Is there a negative side of meditation? A multicentre survey PLoS One September 5, 2017
- Toward a unifying taxonomy and definition for meditation Frontiers in Psychology 2013
and 31 more in the library