Reed Bender

Reed Bender

Peer Support

He/Him/His...

As of 2023, I’m a 25 year old biomedical engineer and yoga instructor based in Cambridge, MA. After graduating from Clemson University in 2021 with a Masters degree in Biomedical Data Science and my certification as a yoga teacher, I found myself stuck between two vastly different realities.

On one hand, I was learning about the esoteric history of yoga and exploring various breathwork practices. Teaching yoga and leading communities through breathwork quickly became a passion of mine as I recognized the healing potential that these experiences could have. This opened up a rabbit hole into the study of our energetic anatomy.

On the other hand, I was pursuing a promising career in pharmaceutical R&D. This offered me a great opportunity to explore the field of computational biology and better understand the process of pharmaceutical drug development, but there was absolutely no consideration of cellular voltage or bioenergy. Energetic or mystical experiences are completely disregarded by this paradigm of medicine.

This internal conflict reached a tipping point after I experienced a Kundalini awakening in April of 2022. My central nervous system exploded into what felt like a thousand volts of electricity as this current coursed up my spine, crawled down my face and into my throat, filled my heart and pierced my belly, dropped into a fire at my pelvis, then reversed course back up the spine again in an infinite loop. Every cell in my body felt as if it was being electrocuted, wholly alive and vibrating in perfect coherence within a vast network.

I saw, in an instant, how the body acts as an electrical conduit, tuned by harmonized vibrations. This was the catalyst for me to leave my career in pharmaceutical research and explore these methods for activating our bodies’ innate capacity for healing.

I am now engaged in a number of research projects to explore the process of Spiritual Emergence. I’m particularly interested in studying the bioenergetic phenomena that are often attributed to Kundalini, as well as their underlying physiological mechanism in the body. This research has helped me to integrate many of the odd phenomena that I have experienced energetically and understand the root of the emotions that arise.

For those that might be experiencing spontaneous energetic phenomena in the body, or who have been overwhelmed by an experience of Kundalini rising, please know that integration is possible. Despite the fact that western medicine may have no understanding of these phenomena, you are not crazy and you are not alone. Your energy is a blessing to be cultivated, not a symptom to be managed.

This is why I have trained to be a Spiritual Emergence Coach. For those that might be experiencing spontaneous energetic phenomena in the body, or who have been overwhelmed by an experience of Kundalini rising, please know that integration is possible. As science begins to explore these phenomena of Emergence, we should all be equipped with the tools to integrate mystical experiences into our lives.

As a biomedical researcher and yoga instructor, I have the perspective to share some of the science underlying what may seem insane. This process of understanding can often be crucial in the process of integration. I can also share some tips on breathing practices and therapy modalities that might help you to integrate and balance overwhelming or lethargic energies.

I am not a medical professional, nor am I a licensed mental health coach. The support I hope to offer comes from my training as a yoga and breathwork instructor, my scientific research into bioenergetics and yoga, and my personal experience of stumbling through awakening.

I am in the process of creating an online breathwork service and community, but in the meantime I still teach breathwork and offer group guided meditations. Please check out AttuningMind.com for more detail, or reach out to me directly.