In some cases, they may be accompanied by strong physical sensations, as appears to be more typical in what are usually referred to as kundalini awakenings, including but not limited to: sensations of heat or energy rising or “shooting up” in the body, typically in and around the spine bursts of tingling, tickling, prickling in the body, particularly around the crown of the head, brow-point, and heart-space electric sensations in the extremities of body perceived light emanating from the body, particularly from the head and heart orgasmic sensations disruptions in the digestive system and spontaneous involuntary movements, including trembling or shaking, asanas (yogic postures) and mudras (hand postures) ( Ring and Rosing, 1990 Greyson, 1993 Greenwell, 2002 Taylor, 2013, 2015 Woollacott et al., 2020). These profound experiences may also trigger a sense of transcendence of time and space, as well as an increase in physical and mental sensitivity to internal and external stimuli, including sensitivity to colour, light, touch, sounds, and smells ( Hood, 1975 Taylor and Egeto-Szabo, 2017 Woollacott et al., 2020). Experiences of spiritual awakening, whether gradual or sudden, intentionally induced or spontaneous, typically evoke an ineffable sense of deep inner knowing, understanding, “remembering,” or “unveiling” of one's true nature, as well as experiences of peace and equanimity, bliss, ecstasy and aliveness, feelings of awe, sacredness, gratitude and reverence, and of abundant, unconditional love ( James, 1902/1985 Stace, 1960 Pahnke and Richards, 1966 Hood, 1975 Lukoff et al., 1995 Griffiths et al., 2006, 2008, 2011 Taylor, 2012 Taylor and Egeto-Szabo, 2017). These deeply embodied, noetic experiences are often perceived as a direct connection, communion, or nondual merging with an unlimited and universal consciousness, the divine or “God” in perceived oneness ( James, 1902/1985 Feuerstein, 1989 McClintock et al., 2016). Spiritual awakening is a term given to describe a subjective experience in which an individual's ego transcends their ordinary, finite sense of self to encompass a wider, infinite sense of truth or reality. The limitations and implications of these findings are discussed. Temporal lobe lability and trait absorption were found to predict the SSA/SKA experience. The phenomenological distribution of SSA/SKAs was similar to other measured ASCs although greater in magnitude, and appeared most similar in distribution and in magnitude to drug-induced ASCs, particularly classic psychedelics DMT and psilocybin. Spontaneous Kundalini Awakenings were found to be significantly more physical, but not significantly more negative than SSAs, and overall, both sets of experiences were perceived to be overwhelmingly more positive than negative, even in cases where the experience was initially challenging. A total of 152 participants reporting their most powerful SSA/SKAs completed questionnaires measuring nondual, kundalini, and mystical experience, as well as depth of ASC, and trait absorption and TLL. A mixed within and between-participants self-report survey design was adopted. Personality trait absorption and temporal lobe lability (TLL) were assessed as predictors of Spontaneous Spiritual and Kundalini Awakenings (SSA/SKAs). ![]() The aims of this study were to investigate the phenomenological variances of these experiences, including the potential differences between SSAs and Spontaneous Kundalini Awakenings (SKAs), a subset of awakening experiences that the authors postulate may produce a higher likelihood of both physical and negative effects to explore how these experiences compare to other altered states of consciousness (ASCs), including those mediated by certain psychedelic substances and understand their impact on well-being. These profound transformative experiences have scarcely been researched, despite extensive anecdotal evidence suggesting their potential to catalyse drastic, long-term, and often positive shifts in perception, world-view, and well-being. Spontaneous Spiritual Awakenings (SSAs) are subjective experiences characterised by a sudden sense of direct contact, union, or complete nondual merging (experience of oneness) with a perceived ultimate reality, the universe, “God,” or the divine.
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