Customer Reviews

Energies of Transformation: A Guide to the Kundalini Process

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This is the one book to have, that explains the kundalini awakening. This is an absoulte must have book, for all those who practice yoga or meditation. It shows in detail how kundalini awakens and the symptoms that often come with it such as sweating, shaking, visions, changes in breathing and heart beat patterns and so forth. Many people who meditate long enough have experienced these and other symptoms and dont know what is going on. What is going on is that they have awakened kundalini and that this energy is working to clear out negative energy and transforming them to a higher and better state of being. The results of meditation can be terrifying if one is not informed of what is going on. This book does a superb job in explaining what is happening. Simply a great book.

This book is an important addition to the literature on Kundalini mysteries and is admirable (but not exhaustive) in its research of the literature itself. However, I feel that, in drawing conclusions from the divergent information gleaned without a seeming ability to satisfactorily distinguish esoteric metaphor from Indoasian philosophy and pseudoscience from Western science and pseudoscience, the author contributes to more pseudoscience on the subject. In Chapter 5, the author presents biographical sketches of historic personages, many of whom exemplify the extremes of the Kundalini process. Interestingly, in noting Sri Yogananda, she reports, almost dejectedly, that devotees of his path in whom Kundalini processes are awakened generally do not experience adverse effects. Without delving into why this is so and exploring other Hindu, Buddhist, Taoist, Sikh, and Yogic lineages that present methods for gradual catharsis of consciousness and neurology (which is what the Kundalini process essentially is), she misses the real mystery of Kundalini, the "why" of how things go awry, and the key to helping individuals who experience untoward effects. I feel that the author presents bits of information but not essential understanding or definition of the Kundalini process. It would have been better if this book was simply a straightforward compilation of anecdotes from the literature with some case studies and clinical psychological profiles thrown in rather than a piece offering so much commentary and conjecture.

For those experiencing or interested in the process of Kundalini awakening, this is the one book to have. Dr. Greenwell writes clearly and intelligently about the broad range of experiences that can occur when this powerful energy awakens, including case histories of a variety of gurus, saints, and everyday people, and about the yogic view of energy and the chakras. She offers useful advice on how to handle the intense psychic and physical phenomena that is a frequent by-product of active Kundalini energy, reassurance that spiritual awakening indeed exists and you aren't crazy, and the importance of allowing the awakening to unfold once it has begun.

I bought this book several years ago and continue to turn to it time and time again as questions about Kundalini arise.

This book is very well researched, unpretentious and comprehensive. It is a very good starting point for everybody who wants to know about kundalini without jargon and mysticism. There is only one point I want to make. The author seems to almost recommand doing Western breathwork even though many many people have had terrible symptoms doing this. Breathwork can irrepairably damage your chakras and give you 'energy disease' as is it is called in Tibetan Buddhism. In this respect the author lacks discernment and I urgently advise everybody not to do things involving any form of forceful breath.

This book is a warmed over, self-published dissertation from The Institute for Transpersonal Psychology. The reviews and descriptions are misleading. (Georg Feuerstein should be ashamed of himself.) There is little useful information here--just retelling from some primary but mostly secondary sources. The book is superficial; there is little spiritual or psychological depth. How can anyone who writes seriously about Kundalini write this: "Sexual and materialistic excesses such as those of Bhagvan Rajneesh, who taught tantric practices in both India and the U.S., have further damaged the reputation of this ancient art, which is greatly misunderstood in the West." That's all she has to say about the Bhagvan, an incredibly influential and controversial teacher. Even if you disagree with his thought or practice how is it possible to write about Kundalini in the West and not reference his prolific contributions? If there is any virtue here it is that if you read at night the pedantic style will invite Morpheus almost instantaneously. Don't waste your money. There are many far better books available.

not everyone who has a kundalini awakening does it through practicing yoga or meditiaton. sometimes the kundalini is awakened through spontaneous spiritual awakening or even alien encounters. Many people do not go through the shakes, sweating, etc.