Kundalini Yoga and the Chakras

Kundalini Yoga is perfect for modern Gurus and students. It's goal is to raise the kundalini through the 7 chakras. The guru performs Shaktipat, the transmission of shakti to the student. This can be done in any way the guru sees fit. The transmission is invisible and anything or nothing can appear to happen. All results are acceptable. The chakras are not in any way detectable within the body through any material or scientific investigation. Kundalini energy cannot be detected by any equipment. No-one can determine whether your kundalini is raised or not. There are many methods of raising the kundalini being promoted, many are free. Kundalini philosophy can be as empty or as complex, as historical or as modern as desired. Practice can be as solo or as structured as desired, free and easy or through obedience to a Guru.

Swami Muktananda is the man who was most important in creating the market for raising of Kundalini in these times. His expositions are definitive.

In our present state, we identify ourselves with this body which has a certain size and shape. We are not aware that we are all-pervasive. It is only when the Kundalini is awakened that we become aware of our true nature, of our greatness, of the fact that not only do we belong to God, but we are God. … when one acquires the strength of Kundalini, one expands infinitely, and then one assimilates the whole universe; one is able to see the whole universe within one's Self. One no longer remains a bound, limited creature; one achieves total union with God.

What is that Kundalini? It is the power of the Self, the power of Consciousness.
Kundalini is Shakti, supreme energy, whom the sages of India worship as the mother of the universe. Shakti is the consort of Shiva. She is the active aspect of the formless, attributeless Absolute. … Enlightened men of knowledge perceive Her in all the forms and objects in the universe, and seeing everything as one in That, they merge in That.

What is the nature of this Shakti? She is the supreme creative power of the Absolute Being. Just as heat, which has the power to burn, is not different from fire, Shakti, which has the power to create this universe, is identical with Parabrahman, the supreme Absolute. She is Brahman in the form of sound, the sound vibration of the Absolute, which manifested the universe. - Kundalini The Secret of Life, by Swami Muktananda. SYDA Foundation 1979.

Raising the Kundalini without the expert guidance of a Guru to whom you have surrendered and obey can be dangerous to your physical and mental health according to many gurus.