Once you start to dive deeper into the world of energy healing and yoga you’re bound to have heard of the term Shakti or Kundalini energy. Shakti means ‘power’ in Sanskrit and is also used to describe feminine energy and life force energy. In the Hindu culture, Goddess Shakti is known as the divine mother and goddess of all creation which is why she is worshiped throughout India. Other Hindu Goddesses that represent Shakti, in their own unique ways, are Durga, Kali and Parvati.

We can all tap into our inner shakti energy by paying attention to our self care and have self awareness of what our body needs in the moment. Shakti energy allows us to form deeper connections with our loved ones, express our emotions and nurture ourselves in many forms. Certain daily practices can help bring out more of this feminine nature.

Our own Shakti energy shows up in your everyday life when we are using our creative energy and feel connected to the wisdom within.

Feminine Shakti and Masculine Shiva

In Hinduism, Shakti is also referred to as the mother Goddess and is the divine energy counterpart to Shiva. In order to have a balance of energies we must consider both feminine energy and masculine energy, also known as Shiva. We all have both regardless of gender. Shiva is the masculine aspect of divinity and both represent the masculine and feminine energy of the Universe.

A way to further understand the difference is that Shiva is like the container of pure consciousness while Shakti is the life force inside the container that creates all life around us.

It’s not all daisies and babies, though, Shakti energy is also what fuels Kali, the Goddess of Destruction, whose energy clears paths for new growth.

When your inner Shakti is out of balance, your nervous system may become dysregulated. May find yourself having sleep issues such as insomnia and anxiety. Or on the other hand it can show up as having a hard time expressing your emotions. When your inner Shiva or masculine energy is out of balance you may experience burn out from being in a constant state of doing.

The intention is for both of these energies to be united so one is not overpowering the other and we can have a healthy balance of taking action while also honoring your emotions. Once this is attained, there is a sense of harmony with these energies, joy and inner peace.

Awakening Shakti Energy

In Kundalini, Shakti goddess energy is often referred to as the coiled serpent at the base of the spine that is dormant until you go through a spiritual awakening. This awakened Kundalini serpent, or Shakti energy, travels up the central channel known as the Sushumna nadi. This nadi starts at the root chakra and connects all main chakras.

So it is important for all chakras to be activated and opened allowing the energy inside them to flow freely so Shakti energy can rise. If not, then a practitioner might experience kundalini syndrome. Don’t worry, there are ways to resolve it.

This is the purpose of our yoga practice, to keep our chakras clear for this divine energy to flow freely throughout our chakra system.

Take my feminine energy quiz to get a recommended practice for balancing YOUR feminine energy 👇

Shakti Symbols in Yoga

There are many symbols related to Shakti in Yoga.

Shakti Mudra– A hand gesture where you curl your index, middle finger and thumb towards your palm and touch the tips of your ring and pinky fingers together while extended. Use this mudra to activate the sacral chakra which is also related to divine feminine energy.
Sacral chakra symbol – The sacral chakra, or energy center, is located slightly below the naval and is also connected to Shakti energy as this is the center of creativity and emotions. It also taps into the water element which represents femininity and intuition.

Shakti Yantra – This visual can be used during meditation with the three interlocking triangles pointing upward and overlapping another triangle pointing downward.
Triple goddess symbol – This is shown with the triple moon symbol representing maiden, mother and crone along with the goddess energy that comes from the moon.
Lotus symbol – This symbolizes spiritual enlightenment and peace. It has also been shown with a lot of other goddesses such as the goddess of abundance, Lakshmi and the goddess of knowledge, Saraswati.
The eight pointed star – Also the symbol for Goddess Lakshmi, this eight-pointed star shows the eight different types of abundance and wealth.
Shatkona – also known as the Star of David, represented by two overlapping triangles. Shiva represents the triangle pointing upward and Shakti with the triangle pointing downward symbolizing the union between both divine masculine energy and divine feminine.
The Spiral Goddess – Closely related to the triple moon, it represents fertility, wisdom and creative energy.

Learn more about Shakti symbols.

Shakti Energy in Modern Life

As mentioned before you can increase your Shakti energy by adding some of these practices into your daily life.

Yoga – Shakti yoga or Yin yoga are the more feminine styles of an asana practice and allow you to connect to the divine feminine energy within. In Yin Yoga, you hold poses related to the sacral chakra for longer periods of time which can bring out deep emotional release. Shakti yoga has a combination of dance and asana and lets you branch out into your own creative form of movement.
Pranayama – Deep breathing is another way to enhance shakti energy. Since shakti is the life force within you, just sitting and taking a pause to really take deep breaths will make a huge difference. Learn more about the different types of pranayama.
Meditating with the Shakti mudra – This will help clear any blocks at the sacral chakra so energy can move freely.
Chakra clearing– Specifically the sacral, heart and third eye chakras are the ones to focus on when working on increasing Shakti energy. This can be done through connecting the water element, intuition, compassion, practicing forgiveness, dancing and even artwork. Learn more about the chakra system.
Chanting mantras – Om Shakti is a specific mantra that helps raise Shakti energy. You can also use ‘VAM’ which is the seed mantra for the Sacral chakra. For inspiration on chants tuned to the energetic vibration of our age, check out the Aquarian Mantras.
Journaling – Freewriting about your emotions and feelings throughout the day can help activate the sacral chakra. A great time to do this is also following your moon cycle or if you don’t have one journaling with the moon phases and seeing how you feel during each phase. Repeat this for at least three full moon cycles to notice a pattern and gain deeper self awareness.
Crystals – Adding some crystals that have properties related to the sacral, heart or third eye chakra by simply carrying them with you and making crystal grids placing them as you intuitively see fit. You can also work with crystals to protect your energy such as black tourmaline, smokey quartz or black obsidian.

Whichever method you choose to add to your daily practice the most important thing to remember when working to increase Shakti energy is to connect with your body. Since Shakti is your life force and you want it to flow freely through your body, taking some quiet time to really tune in to how your body is feeling and what it needs at that moment is the best way to connect with the feminine energy within.

Next Steps

If you’re interested in practical kriya yoga as a way to improve your daily life and relationships, check out my Yoga for Self Mastery course.
Order my Yoga Life book for a practical guide to creating balance in your life through yoga.
Check out my YouTube channel and find some yoga classes that you can try out for yourself!