The Kundalini energy rests in a dormant state at the base of your spine. Because this dormant power is often visualized or said to remain in a coiled state, it has been called the “serpent power” by many researchers; from what I can tell the reference to serpent is also a mistranslation due to other factors.

There Kundalini can be thought of as raw, essential potential. It exists in a state of rest until activated, after which it rises through the seven main chakra centers along your spine.

This potential energy can awaken spontaneously, as a natural result of training and study, or with the help of visualization, meditation, and breathing/energy control exercises. I’m far from an expert on this topic, and frankly few Western writers seem to have more than an abstract handle on what Kundalini is, why it exists, and what one should strive to do with it.

I’ve said before the human chakra system and energy pathways can be thought of as a sort of source code for the human form and spirit. Study of these metaphysical areas allows one to improve health and correct problems at the physical, emotional, intellectual, and spiritual level by working directly with the essential energy behind these levels of reality.

Following this same line of logic, the Kundalini power is, I believe, our birthright. This is raw, magnificent, potential power waiting to be awakened and harnessed by every human being on the planet.

Perhaps eons ago humans did not have to intentionally awaken this great energy within. It’s possible that in our distant past, before the recorded history of Sumer and Egypt, we were more than we are now and thus lived in a transcendent state of alignment with cosmic force.

This is a nice thought, but I can’t prove it. What I can and will do is suggest to anyone who is learning about the chakra points: Be mindful of glowing red potential that rests at the base of your spine.

As you progress through your chakra meditations and energy visualizations, can you perceive this subtle energy moving along the path of your spine? (Actually there are subtle energy meridians along your spine that allow this energy to pass, but let’s not get hung up on the mechanics).

There are many great books on this subject, but I highly recommend you find a trained Yoga or Reiki instructor to assist you with this part of your journey. The ultra religious in the West like to tell horror stories about the “serpent power” and what it does to those who awaken it, and these is some truth to these fear-tactics.

We are dealing with tremendous force, and it’s always possible when this is the case to experience some problems as the result of carelessness. But most such claims are greatly exaggerated or are due to special circumstances.

I prefer not to think of Kundalini in terms of “serpent power” because of the negative connotation that term creates for many people. Instead I use terms like “potential spirit force”, “birth power”, and so forth.

The words we use can be very important; and certainly formal training might insist you use traditional verbiage. But I promote the philosophy of using words in a way that serve the individual and the greater good, not as devices of structure and control.

It doesn’t matter what you call this force to be unleashed at the base of your spine. As you continue to study and experience your chakra and energy system, you will develop an intimate relationship with your own potential spirit force.

And in so doing you will gain clarity, vision, power, and mastery of self.

The four elements theory is thousands of years old, and is currently used by a wide range of spiritual systems. It is unclear as to where exactly this philosophy first emerged; the wisdom of the four elements is found in teachings from ancient Greece, Ireland, India, China, and Japan.

These simple, intuitive ideals are expressed in energy healing work like Reiki and acupuncture, eastern warrior arts such as Jujitsu and Ninpo, and many modern esoteric practices that claim ties to Celtic origins. The essential premise is that four elemental archetypes can be used to examine/express the properties of any physical, emotional, intellectual, or energetic phenomenon or entity.

These four elements are:

• Earth
• Air
• Fire
• Water

The notion of polarities is quite strong in most manifestations of the four elements theory. In other words, wind and earth are treated as opposing or complimentary forces, depending on the scenarios and objectives.

The knowledge of the four elements can be very simple, and it can be extraordinarily complex. A very basic consideration of each element might look like this:

Earth - that which is stable, solid, unmoving, grounded, basic, simple, and blissful.

Water - that which is subtle, flexible, indirect, adaptable, pervasive, and creative.

Fire - that which is direct, inspired, consuming, succinct, precise, and powerful.

Air - that which is evasive, intangible, compassionate, wise, and transcendent.

Note: The above list is one man’s perspective. The truth is it’s counterintuitive to treat the four elements in the same way you might treat the decimal system. Rather than “learn” this knowledge, you’ll feel it and flow with it.

Approach the four elements with an open and flexible mind. With only a small amount of study you’ll begin to recognize the elemental qualities in all aspects, events, and people you encounter in your life.

I’ll publish additional content on this topic in the near future. And perhaps I can find a great beginning study resource to recommend as well.

The heart chakra is found above the sternum in the very center of your body. The best way to feel this center of consciousness is to imagine a spot exactly centered within your chest, front to back and side to side.

This chakra is associated with the energy of love and the color green. The relevant element here is air.

Energies of the heart chakra include devotion, caring intuition, and passion. This point is often considered the gateway to the higher mind because it connects the “lower” chakras which are associated with the body and emotions to the higher chakras that relate to mind, knowing, self-expression, and so forth.

Imbalances in this chakra can manifest as physical heart problems or as hate, malicious intent, and judgmental thinking, among other things. Tactile meditations and visualizing green energy are two very simple exercises for balancing the heart chakra, and you can find more info about this center here.

Clearly this brief post is only the beginning. Understanding any specific chakra, and the greater chakra system, is an experiential journey that takes time and a genuine asking. It is my hope that readers who find this blog and my main site will be compelled to start such a journey and seek a qualified teacher in the fields of meditation and energy work.