Dear Swami, I have been meditating for long time. For the second time last night; during sleeping I got a pain. It starts exactly from the root of spine then goes up through spine for 8 or 9 inches and then disappears. Is this is energy rising or something different?
—Sreeni VK, India
Dear Sreeni,
It is often difficult to tell the difference between Kundalini experiences and physical/mental challenges. The best thing to do is pray for help and guidance from God and your Gurus.
Ask: “Is this pain a part of my spiritual awakening process, or something which I need to have checked out by a physician?” Then wait to see what answers you receive.
Also wait to see if it happens again. If it does, immediately sit up in your bed and meditate and pray for guidance. Try lifting the energy up from the lower part of your energy or astral into the upper chakras, and especially to the spiritual eye, at the point between the eyebrow—hold it there strongly for as long as you can.
Then, if the pain stops and you feel joy in your spine, heart, and brain, then it is probably Kundalini. If not, then try to find out what is going on physically.
You mention that have been meditating for a long time. Are you practicing Yogananda’s Kriya Yoga techniques of meditation? If not, I would strongly suggest that you consider doing that. They contain amazingly effective and yet very safe (and pain-free!) ways to work with prana and awakening Kundalini.
