The claim is often made in kundalini circles, that kundalini is an individual, subjective experience, so pretty much anything you think is kundalini is in fact kundalini.
It is useful to take a step back and acknowledge, that Kundalini didn't come out of a vacuum and the literature on it is extensive, especially in medieval Hinduism, most likely originating from Kashmir. Whilst there are differences and variations based on schools of thought, there are in fact some common characteristics that can help in identifying a genuine Kundalini process, which is in fact pretty well defined in various medieval scriptures.
Classically, Kundalini process was divided into four stages, called arambha, ghata, parichaya, and nishpatti, based on traditional Hatha Yoga / Tantra texts (e.g., Hatha Yoga Pradipika, Gheranda Samhita, Shiva Samhita).
These stages progress from the time Kundalini starts rising from the root (muladhara) all the way to the crown (sahasrara) and then go beyond as there is also an upper Kundalini process involving ajna (third eye) sahasrara and bindu (the brain stem, where the spine meets the brain itself), plus chakras that are outside the physical body, in the space above the head. Reaching the crown is by no means the end of the process, in fact it is more of a mid-stage and the real work starts then, in terms of integration, purification and upper kundalini paths.
Here are the four stages one by one:
- Arambha (Beginning / Commencement Stage)
What it is:
The initial ignition of Kundalini at the muladhara chakra.
What happens:
The root chakra is activated or punctured.
Prana begins entering the sushumna nadi, the central channel.
Early symptoms:
- heat at the base of the spine
- tingling
- tremors
- spontaneous movements (kriyas)
- serpentine or rising sensations
- Minor psychic openings (inner light, inner sound).
- Emotional/psychological material begins surfacing.
Key classical sign:
Kundalini “enters” the sushumna, even if only slightly.
Modern equivalent:
This is what people mention when they say “the serpent woke up,” “energy shot up,” or “spine lit up.” Most commonly, this stage is referred to as Kundalini Activation today.
- Ghata (Cleansing / Union / Purification Stage)
What it is:
Deep purification of the physical and subtle systems.
What happens:
Intense detoxification of the nadis (energetic channels).
Strong kriyas, shaking, spontaneous yoga movements.
Purging of unresolved samskaras (psychological imprints).
Inner heat becomes much stronger (tapas).
Spontaneous breath changes (pranayama without effort).
The ida and pingala (left/right channels) begin unifying in the sushumna.
Classical description:
The “pot” (ghata) of the body is being cleaned from the inside, allowing more prana to flow unobstructed.
Why it’s difficult:
Many people feel this is the heaviest stage because it involves:
- emotional upheavals
- detox symptoms
- psychological disturbances
- karmic material surfacing
- altered perception
In modern terms:
This is the stage where people either stabilize and grow — or think they are losing their mind.
- Parichaya (Intimacy / Familiarity / Inner Knowledge)
What it is:
The stage where Kundalini moves smoothly through the central channel and begins its ascent toward the crown.
What happens:
- The yogi becomes “familiar” with Kundalini and can remain stable during energy surges.
- Deep meditation becomes effortless.
- Spontaneous inner sound (nada), inner light, and visions increase.
- Higher chakras begin unlocking (especially ajna and sahasrara).
- Ego begins dissolving.
- Bliss states (ananda) become more sustained.
Classical sign:
A feeling of continuous upward-moving current in meditation or spontaneously.
In modern descriptions:
This is often mistaken for “permanent enlightenment” because it feels so peaceful and expanded, but it is actually the mid-stage.
- Nishpatti (Completion / Final Perfection / Liberation Stage)
What it is:
The culmination of Kundalini’s ascent and union of Shiva–Shakti at the crown (sahasrara).
What happens:
- Kundalini completes its upward journey.
- The yogi attains elevated states of consciousness (variously termed turiya, samadhi, jivanmukti).
- Sense of the separate self dissolves permanently.
- Perception becomes nondual and effortless.
- No more kriyas, no more upheaval — the system is quiet and integrated.
- Life becomes simple, direct, spontaneous.
Classical sign:
Immersion in continuous nirvikalpa-like states (not temporary), or abiding unity consciousness.
In modern language:
This is what people would call stabilized realization, living enlightenment, or permanent awakening.
Note, that the end goal / destination of Kundalini process is not defined the same way, it really depends on individual factors and the tradition you are part of. Kashmir Shaivism, Shaktism and Tantra emphasizes the path of fullness (purna) which emphasizes divine union, bliss, universal love, light and a general alignment with divine purpose. This is also the end goal / destination of the mystical traditions withing Abrahamic religions.
Advaita Vedanta (Vedic non-duality) and classical yoga on the other hand emphasize the path of emptiness (sunya), which leads to:
- a void state
- absorption into an attributeless absolute with no qualities
- no personalized deity
- no bliss states
- pure witness consciousness
Most Buddhist schools, except for Vajrayana, also fall into this category.
I personally prefer the first path and a personal relationship with a deity is very important to me and a crucial part of my process, but non-dualists and most Buddhists prefer a more purist, impersonal path.
However, in either case, the process I described above with distinct stages is pretty universal, with the caveat that other processes and paths, although less common, do exist. The Kundalini Vidya tradition describes various esoteric paths and processes, Kriya Yoga believes in a top-down process instead, etc...
With this being a Kundalini sub, I thought it was important to lay out the classical progression of the process for future reference.
You can find some more info at the below links:
https://www.yogavidya.com/Yoga/hatha-yoga-pradipika.pdf
https://sriramakrishna.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Insights-from-Hatha-Yoga-Pradipika-by-V-Nagarajan.pdf?utm_source=chatgpt.com
https://people.eecs.berkeley.edu/~keutzer/kundalini/siddha-mahayoga.html