kundalini yoga
"Kundalini is just that little energy that shifts perspective and consciousness, and creates room for our own heart so that we may say YES to life, offer an open hand to all and be still before the Infinite that is our most intimate self."
- Gurucharan Singh
Kundalini Yoga was first taught openly in 1969 in the USA, where it was brought by respected spiritual teacher and Master of Kundalini Yoga, Yogi Bhajan. Kundalini Yoga is a traditional form of yoga (of tantric background) that has been taught in India for millenia, master to student (one-on-one), however Yogi Bhajan, or Yogiji as he is affectionately known by his students, was the first to break this tradition. From all the technology, wisdom, experience and mastery that Yogi Bhajan had to draw from, he chose Kundalini Yoga and meditation because it is so effective, comprehensive, and “do-able" - working deeply to transform you from your very core, while balancing and integrating your body, mind and spirit. Although ancient in its heritage, Kundalini Yoga is the yoga for the modern age and there is no need to isolate yourself on a mountain to achieve great results! With even only a few minutes of practice a day, you can begin to positively influence your body, mind and spirit. To this day, we still teach classes as Yogiji taught them, without altering the exercises or meditations. This ensures the safety, effectiveness, and purity of the teachings - they are still the master teachings.
What is Kundalini anyway?
'Kundalini' is often misunderstood - it translates as 'lock of hair of the beloved' and refers to a source of energy that lies (usually dormant) coiled at the base of the spine within each of us. When awakened, this energy rises through the sushmana (central energy channel in the spine) and balances and clears our chakras (energy centres in the body), bringing health, wellbeing and connection with our own inner spirit or divine nature.
The Kundalini energy is eventually awakened in all forms of yoga. This energy is our divine potential and is just waiting for us to use it. The practice of Kundalini Yoga that Yogi Bhajan has given us works on strengthening and preparing the body and mind so that as our bodies and minds become ready, the Kundalini energy gradually becomes available to us for growth and healing: physical, energetic and spiritual. All you need to do is breath and move to the best of your capacity, and you too will reap the rewards of this amazing practice.
I'm a beginner, can I do it?
Yogi Bhajan said it best: "...if you can breath and move, you can do yoga..." If you are reading this I am guessing you can answer yes to those two questions! There is no pretzeling required in any yoga, but especially not in kundalini yoga :) This highly adaptable practice will meet you where you are at and help you to move forward into new possiblities in your body, your mind and your life as you connect deeply with your own soul.
TRY IT NOW!!!
Here are some meditations to help cope with life... especially in these times of change.
Meditation for Stress and Sudden Shock
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Meditation for Awareness and to Stimulate the Brain
(taught August 27, 2001)
Posture: Easy Pose
Mudra: place the hands behind the neck, with fingers interlocked
Mantra: Har (Tantric Har tape by Guru Prem Singh and Simran Kaur)
Movement: chant Har from the navel point. Pull the navel point in and move the elbows forward on each repetition.
Time: 3-11 minutes
Meditation for Grounding
(taught Anandpur Sahib, December, 2000)
Posture: Easy Pose
Mudra: hands in position for Sat Kriya (arms extended straight up over head, fingers in Venus Lock except index fingers, which are together pointing up)
Mantra: chant Sat Nam as in Sat Kriya, pull and release the navel point. Do 3 repetitions, then move the hands, still in Sat Kriya mudra, in a sharp movement down to the heart center and chant Wahe Guru slowly.
Time: 2 minutes
Meditation for Fear
(taught Anandpur Sahib, December 2000)
Posture: Easy Pose
Mudra: grasp the Sun finger of your left hand with all the fingers of your right hand. Your left thumb goes under your right hand, with the left fingers resting over the right fist.
Mantra: Ra Ma Da Sa Sa So Se Hung
Time: 3 minutes
Exercise to Make You Stress-Free
(7 December 2001)
Part 1
Posture: Easy Pose
Mudra: Both arms up at a 60-degree angle, elbows straight, hands open, palms down.
Mantra: None
Movement: Tighten your upper arms, stretch your chest, and tense your body so it shakes from the base of the spine to the neck. Arms and hands shake also.
Time: 3 minutes
Part 2
Posture: Easy Pose
Mudra: Stretch both arms straight out in front of you at shoulder level, parallel
to the floor, elbows straight. Bend the hands up at the wrists, with the Jupiter fingers up, and the other fingers held down with the thumbs.
Eyes: Looking straight ahead at the tips of your Jupiter fingers.
Movement: Keeping your arms stiff and parallel to the ground, move the left hand in small clockwise circles, and the right hand in small counter-clockwise circles.
Time: 3 minutes - during the last minute, move as fast as possible. | 
