Kundalini Yoga for Beginners: a primer
Kundalini Yoga is different from any other yoga you’ve ever practiced. It’s incredibly efficient in moving energy in the body. So if you want quick results, Kundalini Yoga is for you. The thousands of classes are prescriptive series of integrated postures, breath work, mantra, mudras and meditation to move energy through the body in support of your nervous and glandular systems. Think of it as the yoga of acupuncture, supporting you to better cope with life’s daily challenges and stresses.
For over 20 years, I practiced many types of yoga. I enjoyed them and found they helped me take care of my body. However, seven years ago my awareness of what yoga could do for me changed forever. That’s when I followed my curiosity and went to my first Kundalini Yoga class. Holding postures for extended periods of time, applying breathing techniques I had never experienced before, and chanting in a foreign language was not what I was expecting. I left the class feeling my energy dramatically elevated and charged while at the same time feeling more serene. I was hooked. After a year of attending classes, I enrolled in teacher training. Over the years, my practice has supported me in releasing energetic blockages (some would call it trauma) without needing to name them or relive the experience that created them. My practice has brought me closer to my authentic self. For that, I will always be grateful for the technology of Kundalini Yoga.
Class Structure
Before you go to your first class, it’s helpful to know what to expect. A typical Kundalini Yoga class has the following 6 parts:
1.Tuning in by chanting the mantra Ong Namo Guru Dev Namo 3 times with hands in prayer pose. It translates to I bow to the creative wisdom, I bow to the divine teacher within myself. It begins the process of going within.
2. A few warm up exercises prepare the body for the class.
3. A series of movements called a kriya. This is the heart of the class. There are thousands of these prescriptive series, each addressing a particular condition, such as taking care of your adrenal glands, relating to and communicating better with others, and releasing subconscious fears that are holding you back from your true path.
4. Deep relaxation, which can be accompanied by the teacher playing the gong, which supports the movement of energy in the body or relaxing mantra music.
5. A meditation, which is complemented by the kriya. As little as 3 minutes of meditation supports your circulation. With only 11 minutes, you affect your nervous system and your pituitary gland, which controls your hormonal system. The posture for meditation should be comfortable.
6 Closing Prayer
Key elements of a Kundalini Yoga class
Postures: If you’re a yogi, you will find many postures that you may have practiced in other yoga classes. The difference is that you may hold them for longer periods of time and that you will incorporate different breathing techniques, mantras and mudras. The purpose is to move energy in a particular part of the body that is involved in the theme of the class.
Breathwork: It is much more than just inhaling and exhaling. There are many different breathing techniques. They can support your sympathetic (sense of fight or flight) or parasympathetic (sense of rest and digest) nervous systems, support your immune system, as well as digestion. Once you learn some of these pranayams, you can apply them any time you need that particular type of support.
Mantra: The use of sound current, or mantra, is applied during certain postures and/or during meditation. Not only are you creating an internal vibration but the tip of the tongue also activates the acupressure points on the roof of the mouth, which supports the glandular system. According to Frontiers in Psychology, chanting can also reduce stress and provide similar benefits to meditation.
Mudras: There are thousands of different hand and finger postures to channel energy in the body. The mudra applied in a particular posture or meditation will be specific to coordinate with the other elements of the class.
Eye Focus: There are several eye focus techniques. The most common in Kundalini Yoga is to close your eyes, roll them up and in to focus at the brow point. It crosses the optic nerves over the pituitary gland bringing energy to this point of intuition and master gland.
Unique elements of a Kundalini Yoga class
Wearing white: Although times are changing, you will notice that most people in class, as well as the teacher, will wear white. It’s not mandatory so don’t avoid a Kundalini class just because you don’t have the right clothes. Wearing white is said to expand your electromagnetic field, or aura, by a 1-3 feet. So it is supportive of the energy work you are achieving through the postures and other elements of the class.
Covering your head: Many people will have their heads covered. This simply keeps the enery/heat in and again makes it easier to achieve your energy goal. It is interesting to note that wearing a turban or even a headband that puts pressure along your hairline helps to stabilize the small cranial bones and thereby helps to quiet the mind. Try it and keep doing it if it’s beneficial, don’t if it doesn’t.
Try This Kundalini Yoga Pranayam
Anytime you’re stressed or about to lose your cool, take a few minutes and apply this breathing technique. Sit with a straight spine either in a chair or cross legged on the floor. Rest your left hand on your knee. With your right thumb, cover your right nostril and inhale slowly and deeply through your left nostril. Then cover your left nostril with your left index finger and exhale long and deeply through your right nostril. Take your time and ease into your breath. Don’t quit after just a few breaths, the benefit comes with a few minutes of the exercise.
Summary
Kundalini Yoga has become more popular over the past few years as people are searching for more efficient and supportive ways to achieve greater mind-body-spirit balance. So explore Kundalini Yoga with an open mind and judge for yourself if it doesn’t save you time in bringing a greater sense of lightness and balance to your life.
Book a Kundalini Session
Schedule your session(s) with Monique directly through the link below