Many of you have been asking me for more details about Kundalini Yoga. I was introduced to this yoga practice about 25 years ago and within the past year made a commitment to the practice.
Over the years, as part of my self-care toolbox I have become a Hatha Yoga teacher, a Tantra Yoga teacher, and Yoni yoga in my Jade Egg classes. I am truly loving this next phase of my Yoga study. Each type of Yoga has its magical gifts and has been deeply healing for myself and my students/clients. Just 5 months into my Kundalini Yoga teacher training I am in a state of awe. For me it combines ALL the essential aspects of Yoga, and I love the science and studies that support the tangible benefits.
Below are the answers to questions I have recently been asked:
What is Kundalini Yoga:
Kundalini yoga is a technology based on thousands of years of practice. The key elements are that it helps to heal and balance our nervous and glandular systems.
Each yoga class or practice has a series or specific sets of ‘kriyas’ or asanas/postures that have been studied over thousands of years to work in a specific way. For example: these sets of exercises have been known to help with anxiety, stress, digestion, balancing hormones, trauma, depression, increase intuition, prosperity, adrenals, even a broken heart, etc. There is a kriya for everything you could possibly imagine!
Since beginning my practice I have found myself responding to life with more calm, I feel balanced mentally and emotionally, and move with far more inner steadiness. Kundalini yoga truly feeds the soul and is so uplifting every time I attend or teach a class.
What do we do in a class?
Kundalini yoga incorporates asana (postures), pranayama (breath work), mudra (hand gestures) and mantra (chanting). These transformational ancient teachings help to build physical vitality and increase our awareness and consciousness. The kriyas (sets of exercises) work on strengthening your nervous system, balancing your glandular system, purifying the body and calming the mind.
Why do we wear white?
We can choose to wear white for this type of Yoga to help expand the aura (electromagnetic field) that surrounds the entire body. The aura is like a big protective energetic jacket that protects our body from disease, other people’s energies that might negatively affect our own, and helps keep us feeling safe and protected. The aura normally measures about 9 feet, and wearing white expands the energy field up to an two extra feet; meaning more protection! And remember, white represents purity and holiness, and is often worn for sacred occasions like getting married. I wore white when I was ordained for this reason.
Why wear a head cover?
‘Wearing a head covering enables you to command your sixth chakra or third eye. Covering the head provides a sense of containment and focus while practicing yoga or while doing work that requires clarity of thought. It literally helps “keep your head together.” Covering the head creates a focus of the functional circuit of the hemispheres of the brain, and tunes the neurological system. The whole head is to be covered, not just the crown chakra.’ 3HO.org
What is the practice doing for me personally?
In addition to what I shared above – I feel more calm, less restless, more focused and clear. It helped me finally heal from a trauma I had been dealing with for many years. (it took 60 days with my practice and a specific meditation)
It looks weird.
That’s a good one! Remember playing twister when you were younger or learning a new sport like riding a bike. Things look and feel awkward whenever we acquire a new skill.
These are six awesome reasons to introduce the practice into your life now:
- Kundalini Yoga helps you gain a strong immune system, strong nervous system, better circulation and balanced endocrine (hormone) system.All of which help you feel stronger, and look and feel younger!
- A strong and flexible spine is also a critical part of this practice. We age better with a healthy spine. And with a flexible spine we also have a flexible mind.
- In Kundalini Yoga we often place our focus at the third eye point during our practice (eyes closed). This helps to stimulate our intuition and balance the endocrine system. The pituitary gland located at the 3rd eye controls our serotonin levels in the body – so with all the depression prevalent in our society we need this for more happiness!
- We develop our intuition – to have more access to our intuition means we make choices and decisions with more ease and confidence as we move through each phase of our lives.
- We have a short focussed meditation at the end of each class. Science is proving more and more how positively our wellness is affected with this meditation. We feel more calm and peaceful with the brain and nervous system more settled and balanced.
- The practice can support the clearing of the subconscious mind; the old patterns, traumas, and attachments that keep us stuck. We then have a clearer view of our lives rather than looking through and lens of what we have accumulated in the mind.
Let’s look at an iceberg as an example: the 5% we can see is the tip of the iceberg (or the conscious mind) and the 95% that is buried under water can be compared to the subconscious mind. Our subconscious mind is like a database that stores all of our experiences, thoughts, emotions, and memories. We want to be living more from the conscious mind.