Quick answer
In the tantric and hatha yoga traditions kundalini is a coiled energy pictured at the base of the spine, woken by practice and rising through the chakras to the crown. That is an interpretive framework, and a powerful one: it reached the West through Gopi Krishna’s memoir of his own alarming awakening and through the Kundalini Yoga taught from the late 1960s. People who practise intensively report heat and rushes up the spine, shaking, spontaneous movements, floods of emotion, sleeplessness, bliss and fear. Transpersonal psychologists collected the distressing versions under the label kundalini syndrome or spiritual emergency; it is not a medical diagnosis, and the same experiences overlap with panic attacks, mania, psychosis and some neurological conditions. Intense breathwork and long retreats can destabilise people with a history of those, so go slowly and stop when alarmed. Ringing ears, chest pain, days without sleep, racing thoughts or voices are reasons to see a doctor. The full guide is Chakra Meditation: The Seven-Chakra Map, a 20-Minute Routine, What Research Supports, Bracelets, Kundalini and the Claims to Drop.
Reported experiences, what they may be, and what to do
| Reported experience | What it may be | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Heat or a rush up the spine | Autonomic arousal from fast breathing; also the signature of a panic attack | Slow the breath; if it comes with terror or chest pain, get checked |
| Shaking or spontaneous movements | Tremor from hyperventilation, muscle fatigue, or an expected effect of the practice | Pause the practice; persistent tremor needs a doctor |
| Ringing or pressure in the ears | Tinnitus; jaw tension; blood pressure; noise exposure | A hearing check; sudden one-sided ringing or hearing loss is urgent |
| Days of little sleep with racing thoughts | Overlaps with mania | See a doctor promptly; do not push through |
| Bliss, tears, a sense of unity | A common effect of sustained attention and breath practice | Enjoy it; write it down; do not build a life decision on one afternoon |
| Feeling chosen, watched, or hearing voices | Overlaps with psychosis | Same day medical help; tell someone you trust |
| Lasting calm and clearer priorities | The ordinary benefit of regular practice | Keep going at a sustainable pace |
What the old version got wrong: It said ringing ears are a sign of kundalini and suggested ice packs and heat pads for blocked hearing; ringing ears are tinnitus and need a hearing check. A rush of heat, a pounding heart, tingling and fear of dying are also the signature of a panic attack, which is treatable. For the wider question of what an awakening usually is, see spiritual awakening stages and when to see a doctor.
Read the full chakra meditation guide
The seven-chakra map, a twenty-minute routine, what research supports, bracelets, kundalini, and the claims to drop.
This is so enlightening! I’ve been experiencing ringing in my ears and this explains so much. Thank you for the information.
I’m glad to hear that you found this helpful. It’s always good to have an explanation for these symptoms!
This post was quite amusing. I never knew that ear ringing could be a sign of a spiritual awakening!
What a load of nonsense. My ears ring because of tinnitus, not some spiritual awakening mumbo jumbo.
Oh great, another thing to worry about when it comes to my health.
I’m not sure I buy into all of this spiritual energy stuff, but it’s an interesting read nonetheless.
I never thought about a Kundalini awakening causing ear ringing! This is really eye-opening.