There is no book that’s going to get you there. To read about what Kundalini is, and the most basic practices and rites to begin purifying and empowering your body to handle the Force that is the real thing and not the new age symptomatic construct, you want to be reading Tantraloka, or the Light on Tantra.

In the tradition that gives us these teachings, Tantra, there are three complex knots of consciousness which need to be untied in order for the Goddess to rise easily through your being.

She is a metaphor, not a person, not a snake, not an electrical current. She is like the Force of Star Wars legend. She’s everywhere – not coiled up in your bum.

Chakras are centers of energy located at various meridians of the energy body. Yoga speaks to five bodies of a person – koshas or sheaths in which Atman (soul? Me?) rides and resides. The body is just the body. Knowing chakras and nadis and channels is akin to knowing physiology. Knowing how energy flows therein is akin to knowing how blood flows. Knowing about the centers is akin to knowing about the systems, such as the correlation of muladhara with the hypogastric plexus of nerves.

Kundalini and chakras are different constructs that have a relationship. You can work with YouTube and minor chakra meditations and you will probably not do any damage to yourself, but neither will you be doing anything real or verifiable at each of the five levels either, unless you do, and then it’s probably a good idea to know what you are doing.

Kriya Yoga is a system of lifestyle activities, physical exercises, breath work, ethical work, knowledge practice and meditation that both establishes a link between conscious and unconscious, encouraging individuation, and unveiling impressions which have attached themselves to your psyche creating the karmic collective that is you and encouraging the gradual loosening of those knots.

Whereas something like shadow work might be approached with a couple of Carl Jung books and a bit of time, it’s better advised to have a guide when you go looking for Kundalini. Unless of course you have an intimate relationship with the Goddess already and then you’ll probably be fine.

Pro Tip! Tantra begins with purification rites like getting the house in order, figuratively and literally. Create your sacred space. Actually now that I think about it, I’m pretty sure all magical traditions begin with a good cleaning.