In Kundalini Yoga the most important thing is your experience. It goes straight to your heart. There are no words. You cannot stay the same when you practice Kundalini Yoga. The very nature of what we do is to awaken the energy of consciousness, to practice in a way that sheds light on our self-imposed limitations, and invites us to think out of the box and develop our intuitive mind. Being able to live from our intuitive mind is one of the main goals of a Kundalini practitioner.
Kundalini yoga is a great practise to ground you after doing medicine like bufo alvarius and in the same time to keep the bliss of the medicine going.
The kriyas and meditations are much more specific than your regular flow class, much like an Iyengar practice, but rather than focusing on physical alignment, the kriyas are a specific set of exercises that generate energy, organize that energy and deliver you to a specific energetic state — particularly one of greater awareness.
Also within the practice are built-in moments of stillness where we sit quietly and awaken to our Self. The breathwork within the kriyas is so powerful that it starts to strip away the layers that veil our consciousness, and in the sweet moments between poses we can sense the fullness of who we are. The kriyas work on strengthening your nervous system, balancing your glandular system, purifying the body and calming the mind.
What is Kundalini yoga?
First introduced to the western world in the late 70s by Yogi Bhajan, Kundalini yoga is a combination of breath, movement, and sound. It derives from the Sanskrit word kundal, which translates to “coiled energy.” The idea is that we all have energy gathered at the base of our spine and, through the practice of Kundalini, we bring that energy up our spine through the seven chakras, and out the crown of our head.
“The process of growth through Kundalini Yoga is a natural unfolding of your own nature,” Yogi Bhajan has said. “Like a snake, you will need to shed old skins to be more of who you are.” The ultimate goal of Kundalini is to increase your self-awareness by silencing your mind and unblocking your chakras so that your vital energy can flow freely.
"The practice of kundalini is filled with really challenging breath exercises coupled with asanas and meditation," says yoga instructor Caley Alyssa in our 28 Days To Yoga Bliss class. "These are often practiced in repetition for a pretty lengthy period of time and move a lot of energy around in your body."
There's a reason why the practice has gained popularity only recently: The ancient teachings of Kundalini yoga were kept secret for a very long time, only taught to royalty and nobility for thousands of years until Bhajan brought it to the West in the late 1960s and began to teach it publicly.
Kundalini is the science of the self and
kundalini is the awakening of the self.
It is that simple.
What are the health benefits?
​There are a lot of reasons why people choose to practice Kundalini—like its effect on both your physical and psychological well-being. Below are some of the most popular health benefits of Kundalini, including a faster metabolism, better mood, and lowered stress levels.
Builds strength
Because you hold each posture for an extended period of time (sometimes up to five minutes!), Kundalini yoga is a great way to strengthen and tone your muscles. Some of the more intense breathing techniques—like Breath of Fire—can also build core strength, as you have to engage your abdominal muscles with each exhale.
Improves your mood
That “high” you get after a sweaty yoga class is a real thing—research has found that regularly practicing Kundalini yoga increases the production of serotonin (the happy hormone) in your brain.
Lowers your blood pressure and heart rate
Studies have repeatedly shown that Kundalini yoga—specifically the deep breathing techniques used during it—can decrease the risk of hypertension. Long, slow breaths calm your autonomic nervous system and reduce stress, thus lowering both your blood pressure and pulse rate.
Enhances your memory and focus
According to research, Kundalini yoga can impact cognitive functioning, boosting both your concentration and memory. Even the Alzheimer’s Research and Prevention Foundation recommends a Kundalini kriya for improving memory retention.
Boosts your metabolism and digestive system
Through the combination of breath and postures, Kundalini yoga is focused on strengthening your core and diaphragm. This in turn improves your digestion and has been shown by researchers to speed up metabolism (meaning your body processes energy more efficiently).
How To Practice
A typical Kundalini yoga class is comprised of three parts: an opening chant (known as “tuning in”) followed by a brief warm-up for your spine, a kriya (which is a sequence of postures paired with breathing techniques), and a closing meditation or song.
Each kriya—which is Sanskrit for “action”—pairs a physical pose with a breath or meditation. These poses can be anything you choose based on the part of your body that you want to focus on, like cobra pose for your spine or warrior for your legs and glutes.
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While different kriyas use different breaths, one of the most popular breathing techniques is Breath of Fire, which consists of short, quick breaths (almost like a dog panting). To do Breath of Fire, seal your lips and breathe in and out of your nose at a rate of about two to three breaths per second. As you breathe, expel the air in powerful spurts to engage your core.
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Chanting and singing are also key components of Kundalini yoga. There are endless mantras and songs that you can recite during your practice but most classes start with the Adi Mantra, which means “I bow to the subtle divine wisdom, the divine teacher within.” Another common chant you’ll hear in a Kundalini class is Sat Nam, which means “I am truth.”
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You can also expect a meditation-heavy class. Each set during Kundalini yoga has different poses that involve movement, breathing techniques, mindfulness, and a mantra. Between postures, you’ll have a minute or two to relax and focus inward. After the entire set, there’s a relaxation followed by a meditation, then a mantra before class closes.
While you don’t have to wear head-to-toe white, it is common in Kundalini. That’s because the color white is thought to ward off negative energy and extend your own aura. Teachers will often also wear a white head covering, such as a hat, scarf, or turban, to contain the energy within the body.
The bottom line. While anyone can practice Kundalini (unless you have a pre-existing medical condition, of course), this particular style of yoga is especially good for people who are looking for a spiritual practice as much as they’re looking for a physical workout.
Kundalini Yoga Kriyas
Kirtan Kriya is one of the most important meditations in Kundalini Yoga. It was one of the first meditations taught by Yogi Bhajan, the mind goes out of balance when the pineal gland is dormant.
Whatever you need at the moment, it will readjust and align you to bring balance into your mind and thus your life. It is a catalyst for change because it is a very powerful spiritual cleanser.
Yogi Bhajan suggested doing this Kriya to rid our selves of fantasies. We would run the fantasy in the "screen" focusing at the chin and following it to the bitter end, which typically allows us to see the real consequences of our fantasies and eliminate them.
On this page are powerful mantras and kriyas to help us release the blocks in our life. Clear out the traumas, the memories, the 'junk' we all carry. These are Childhood Anger, Fear, Insecurity, the Past and Karma. I think they are a good group to get at all the main problems most of us have.
Hast Kriya, a Kundalini Yoga kriya renews the nervous system and can heal nerve pain and sciatica.
If you do this Kriya for 22 minutes a day, you will totally change your personality. Power will descend from above and clean you out. Anger and obnoxiousness will disappear from your personality.
Sat Kriya is a signature Kundalini Yoga practice and one of the most powerful and complete postures, meditation's Yogi Bhajan taught. It is an entire Yoga class in one posture. Sat Kriya is fundamental to Kundalini yoga and can be practiced every day for at least 3 minutes. Its effects are numerous.
Sodarshan Chakra Kriya will give you a new start. It is the simplest kriya, but at the same time the hardest. It cuts through all barriers of the neurotic or psychotic inside-nature. This kriya invokes the Kundalini to give you the necessary vitality and intuition to combat the negative effects of the subconscious mind."
Gurmukh has been teaching for 30 years (her bio is on this site) and in these YouTube videos she demonstrates the following kriyas:
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Buyong Dya Kyria, Human Kindness
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Soorya Karm Kriya, Forget Yourself and Help Others
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Kriya of Liberation, There is no greater joy than helping others.
This is actually a meditation that balances the moon energy within you. The moon governs the emotions and this specific meditation will help you rid yourself of fatigue and bring you lots of vitality and energy. Radiant Sun Therapy.
Shabd Kriya is a tried and true practice to help improve sleep.
Surya Kriya means Sun Kriya because it brings in the energy of the Sun to help keep you warm, energetic and enthusiastic. It also helps you to lose the holiday pounds and focus on many tasks at once. It is very simple to do and takes about 25 minutes to complete.
And I love to do this Breathing Kriya for awakening the fire within:
What has yoga taught me?
It taught me not to rush.
It taught me to take time for myself.
It taught me that small efforts lead to big achievements.
It taught me to put the past and the future aside.
It taught me to accept others more easily
It taught me to be honest with myself.
It taught me that every moment in life is worthy of respect.
It taught me more than once how to heal my body.
It taught me how to breathe more deeply.
And above all, it taught me how to enjoy movement.