Prologue
You will get out of Kundalini what you put into it
What is Kundalini Yoga
One of the most powerful forms of yoga to put you in touch with your higher consciousness is Kundalini Yoga. Yoga is derived from the Sanskrit word “jugit”. It means to join. In this instance it means the union of mind, body and soul.
The joining of the individual consciousness with the infinite one. There are many flavours of yoga as you may know: hatha, vinyasa, anusara and many more. You can read about some of these flavours on http://yoga.about.com/od/typesofyoga/a/yogatypes.htm. Kundalini is one of these flavours. It concentrates its efforts on raising the energy stored at the base of the spine and raising it through the seven chakras to the crown chakra. This is often compared to a coiled up serpent in many pictures. Enlightenment is achieved when the energy hits the crown chakra or when the serpent wakes up. Those who practice Kundalini yoga talk about the moment when they felt the Kundalini rise for the first time.
Brief history
Kundalini yoga has been around for thousands of years. Patanjali, who is widely recogonised as the author of the Yoga Sutras (influential in yoga philosophy and practice) has not mentioned Kundalini or any other type of yoga in practice today in his sutras. However, Kundalini is generally considered to have the strongest link to spiritual practices.
Yogi Bhajan (real name Harbhajan Singh) is considered to be the father of Kundalini practice in the west and it is unlikely that you will attend a Kundalini class without hearing his name. He came to the west in 1969 on a mission to create teachers and not to gather students. He believed in sharing the knowledge of Kundalini. His vision took the shape of the organisation we now know as 3HO (Healthy, Holy and Happy). Through this organisation an army of yoga teachers has been recruited and they all do a fantastic job in sharing their knowledge.
How does it work
Kundalini works by concentrating on exercises that involve rapid movement in flexing the body in synchronisation with the breath. Breath is fundamental to the exercise. Although it follows a logical pattern, it needs to be followed rigidly in order to maximise the experience. It works by strengthening the glandular system and the nervous system enabling us to harness the energy. The exercises are designed to stimulate a particular set of organs in a manner that will raise the energy. Absorbing and controlling this rising energy is what does the trick. The two cornerstones of this energy are the prana and the energy at the base of spine.
Prana is the life force at the sub atomic level and what you take with every breath. The energy stored at the base of the spine is the coiled serpent that you have to awaken and uncoil. This is why the root locks and the various other locks play such an important role in the raising of this energy.
If you channel the breath and the energy, the Kundalini can rise to expand your awareness, raise your consciousness levels and put you that much closer to your enlightened state.
Kriyas
A set of exercises designed to stimulate a particular organ or part of body is called a kriya. For example Nabhi kriya works on the third chakra of the body – the navel point. The exercises for this kriya are all designed to create the energy in the navel region.
Sat Kriya is an exception to this rule. A cornerstone of Kundalini Yoga, this Kriya is complete on its own or can be a part of another Kriya. It is perhaps one of the most powerful Kriyas and you can feel the effect of it every time you do it. No other exercise or Kriya will raise your Kundalini as quickly as this Kriya will.
Meditations
“A technique by which a practitioner attempts to get beyond “reflexive” thinking into a deeper state of awareness.” – that is the gist of what Wikipedia say about meditation.
There are many… many meditations in Kundalini. A number of them have a background in Sikihism and by themselves carry great power. Repeating these while controlling your breath and concentrating on a particular part of the body can direct the energy there. For example the mediation and part of the of the tune in mantras “Aad Guray Nameh, Jugad Guray Nameh…” are the first four lines of Sukhmani Sahib from Guru Granth Sahib and is written by the fifth Guru. These four lines are in essence a bow to the divine Guru. Aad Guray Nameh – I bow to the Guru who is primal. Jugad Guray Nameh – I bow to one who started the ages. Sat guray nameh – I bow to the true Guru. Siri Guru Deveh Nameh – I bow to the great divine Guru. The lines are intended to bring you humility by bowing before the Guru. Repeated recitation of the lines is reaffirmation of the humility they want to bring to you. Directing the energy there at the same time can bring healing and awareness.
All meditation by its very nature generate calmness by stilling the mind.
The benefits
Those who practice yoga regularly know and feel the benefits. For those starting out on this journey the benefits are in the experience and the holistic lifestyle that Yoga brings to you. It is not about physical fitness but more of a manner in which you use the body to reach the mind. To name the obvious benefits you will feel:
Where do you begin
You cannot enjoy a sunset by reading about it in a book. In the same way you cannot enjoy Yoga by reading about it on this site or watching it on a DVD. You have to get yourself to a Yoga class because it is the experience in group consciousness that really makes it work. Find a good teacher and attend their class. But remember that you will get out of it what you put into it.
After you have done a few sessions then there are other things to try like White Tantra Yoga. Held throughout the world, these are day-long meditations that are just heavenly. European Yoga Festival has three day White Tantra sessions and they are just brilliant. Then there are workshops etc that you can get involved in. And don’t forget the people you will meet along the way. The support from this small and friendly community is excellent.
Then there is the teacher training programme. It is really the next level up and for you if you want to take your spiritual development to the next stage.
Next steps
I am a Sikh and I like working out so for me this was a hand in glove situation. However I realised that there were many things I did not understand. I would have dabbled with classes for a long time if it was not for some key friends who talked me into doing the Teacher Training program. When I joined the program I was not sure and if it had not been for the France trip, I would have felt cheated but I really… really enjoyed it. I learnt so many lessons along the way.
A form of Kundalini Yoga is regular daily practice for me now. If you are thinking about it still. My recommendation is don’t – just do it!
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