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In Case it Comes Up: Kundalini is Covered by Health Insurance

I told the nurse
I swallowed a snake.
He charted: religious mania.

But I felt her—
three and a half turns 
sleeping 
just south of the back 
of my clavicle.

I called her Vera
then, 
full breath 
pried me open.
Fire-rising, 
slithering:

it was gospel

sliding
down my vertebrae—
a ladder 
Jacob had forgotten—
yea and behold though
we came 

back for it.
I couldn’t stop laughing.
Or crying. 
Or saying 
I saw light in the colorless 
rooms 
outside 
understanding.

When I explained, again,
how god comes 
in my root, 
propels 
herself through 
my expanded 
throat 
chakra,
they were furious—
branded me
inpatient,
wrapped my wrists,
ordered more
Thorazine.

They don’t let me 
sit cross-legged,
say my mantra
disturbs
the others.

Just between
you and me 
this energy wall 
crumbling, this crux 
of second comings,
this fifth horseman— 
is a woman re-forming

initiation:
an apocalypse
finally
worth the animal
salt-sweat
hump
it took to get it 
going. 

Copyright © Jaymee Thomas | Year Posted 2025

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Susan Ashley Date: 6/28/2025 9:00:00 PM Dear Jaymee, as a yoga, meditation and conscious breathing practitioner and teacher, I adore the both the “kundalini” and rebellious spirit of your poem. So many excellent expressive moments that bring me to experience a great appreciation of your poetic pen. Warmest wishes, my poet friend.. ~Susan Login to Reply Jaymee Thomas Date: 6/29/2025 11:49:00 AM That's so cool to know about you, Susan. I also practice yoga, although I no longer teach--btw, meditation should be a daily ritual for everyone, imo ;) Funny enough, I just took a breath work class last month too! I'm so glad you shared this :)

thriveni c mysore Date: 6/27/2025 10:04:00 PM your knowledge on philosophical elements is amazing dear poet. I had to read it over and again to grasp the meaning of lines and between lines. Cool flow. Cheers!!! Login to Reply Jaymee Thomas Date: 6/28/2025 3:33:00 PM Thank you, Triveni. Maybe I'll work on making it more accessible. I belong to a writing group (we meet on YT and it's open to the public - anyone wanting to give or get critiques) and we've recently been talking a lot about compression. I may have pared this one back a bit too far lol

Beej Simrov Date: 6/27/2025 7:41:00 PM I love this, the conflation of the eastern and western medicine, and Jacob's latter ;). My kundalini was so rude when it woke up, I don't hope the same for you lol. What even is health? Login to Reply Jaymee Thomas Date: 6/27/2025 8:17:00 PM Thanks, B.J. I went to seminary after college. I thought it was a calling, but it turned out to be a wrong number -- you get it ;) Despite that, I cannot resist the pull of those archetypes / traditions when I write. I'm sorry your awakening was rude, maybe revisit it in meditation? Have a great weekend.