Kundalini Syndrome - Terminology

Terminology

Commentators seem to use different terms when describing the symptomatology. These terms are similar to, but not quite synonymous with, the term "Kundalini syndrome". However, they all seem to describe, more or less, the same phenomenon, or the same main features of the symptomatology.

The terms "Kundalini Syndrome" or "Physio-Kundalini Syndrome", or the references to a "syndrome", are mostly used by writers in field of Near-Death Studies, but also by writers in the fields of Transpersonal Psychology, Psychology, and Mental Health/Psychiatry. The terminology of "syndrome" seems to have a closer relationship to the language of medicine and statistics, than the other terminologies. The terminology of "syndrome" is also the main basis for two measuring instruments developed by Near-death researchers: The Kundalini Scale and the Physio-Kundalini Syndrome Index.

Other terms, such as "Kundalini awakening", is a term used by Transpersonal Psychology, but also by writers representing both the fields of Transpersonal Psychology and Near-Death Studies. This term seems to have a closer relationship to the language of hinduism, and the yogic tradition, than the terminology of "syndrome". Greyson is one of the authors that uses both the terminology of "syndrome", and the terminology of "awakening".

Scotton uses a term called "difficult kundalini experiences", when discussing clinical aspects of the phenomenon. Overall, he seems to prefer the term "Kundalini experience", but he also uses the terminology of "awakening". Other commentators who use the term "Kundalini experience" includes Thalbourne. In his 1993-article Greyson reviews many of the discussions of Kundalini-symptomatology. In this review he cites, and uses, many of the similar terms associated with kundalini symptomatology, such as: "kundalini activation", "kundalini awakening", "kundalini phenomena", "kundalini activity" and "kundalini arousal". Sanches & Daniels, although preferring the term "kundalini awakening", also use the term "kundalini arousal" in their discussion of the phenomenon.