I’m actually half assed looking into this myself. @DarkestKnight has definitely intentionally studied the subject more than I and might have a recommendation for us both. 
(he’s my go to when I’m looking for more information, he’s basically a living encyclopedia. I’ve never had it as a goal or saw any benefit to it as my magic seems to work just fine on its own…
But I’ve had a few experiences lately that cause me to wonder if kundalini wasn’t exactly what I experienced.
I was incredibly tapped into the universal/collective unconsciousness or whatever you want to call it. One time was quite literally a near death experience due to ingesting something I shouldn’t have, but the second time was a few days ago, and while I could clearly distinguish myself from all that I was hearing and experiencing and the take away was you can do this now, you are awake and don’t have to forget…
It was really odd, but the intensity made me shake, it didn’t hurt like the first time but it still caused me to shake hard enough to scare the blazes out of me. There was a lot of conversation too, that sounded like someone giving me the rules so to speak for this incarnation, like what is agreed to prior or something.
So I’m not sure what it truly would be called and I’ve not done enough research on it, (googles apparently not my friend when it comes to experiences I can’t explain) but I’m curious particularly about control, because I can’t stand being able to do things, but only by accident or chance. If it’s somehow beneficial to me to tap in like that, I want to do it on will.
They said it would take practice. I’ve not even tried…yet. I’m not sure what book or practice to follow, so I was doing a pretty normal for me routine when it happened second time.
I think that it can go both ways. I have the medical weed for my state, and I don’t find any difference in ritual or result, but when I was newer to magic and that, I did find if I wasn’t careful it was an easy way to get into trance, and could become a crutch.
I’ve seen tackled that, bullshit on my pleasures standing in my way, and I’ve been told though I can’t confirm, that is why the spirits have never told me I need to quite either of my two vices.
It’s quite simply because I could if I wanted to and don’t. I’ve had times where I couldn’t afford the medical weed so I just did without. When winter rolls around I can’t be out with my lungs and I hate the cold so I all but voluntarily quit. I go from a pack a day cigarettes to 3 or 4.
When I was in hospital in may, it took me five days to be like huh, wonder why I’m not craving a smoke…
So I think it can all become a crutch, or interfere, particularly if you can’t discern the high from reality or spiritual from the high, but I don’t think it necessarily has to be a clean and cut and never enjoy your vices. It’s like eating healthy, I do my best but I’m not going to feel like I’m suffering to do it.
I think it matters whether or not you can willfully control them and discern how they affect your practice, but not if you do them.
I also still don’t get images unless I’m dreaming, projecting or they come from something outside of me, so someone with a visual imagination would have to work harder at discerning their minds high images from spiritual ones, than I would.
