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Kundalini and transpersonal development: Development of a Kundalini Awakening Scale and a comparison between groups

Laura Sanches, Michael Daniels

Transpersonal Psychology Review 2008 DOI: 10.53841/bpstran.2008.12.1.73 (opens in new tab)

Study at a glance

AI-extracted from the abstract
Characteristics Pilot psychometric instrument development and cross-sectional comparison Peer reviewed
Sample size 111
Population Yoga teachers, Yoga students, people following other spiritual traditions, and general population
Measures Kundalini Awakening Scale (KAS)
Key findings Kundalini experience was highest in people from other spiritual traditions, then Yoga teachers, Yoga students, and the general population. Experience increased with years of Yoga practice and regular meditation, but not age. The other spiritual traditions group reported more disruptive and negative experiences, possibly due to a less structured path.

Abstract

Development of a pilot psychometric instrument, the ‘Kundalini Awakening Scale’ (KAS) is described. The KAS was administered to groups of 24 Yoga teachers, 37 Yoga students, 22 people following other spiritual traditions, and 28 people from a general population. Results indicated that kundalini experience was highest in the group of people from other spiritual traditions. Second highest were the Yoga teachers, followed by Yoga students and, finally, the general population. There was also evidence that kundalini experience increases with years of Yoga practice (not age), and with a regular regime of meditation. The group following other spiritual traditions showed greater evi.d-ence of more disruptive and negative kundalini experiences. It is suggested that this may result from their following a relatively unstructured path of development, in contrast with the Yoga groups which follow a safer, structured approach to kundalini arousal.