In order to understand the essence of Kundalini yoga, we need to start with asking what is yoga? Some may think that yoga is a religion; others think that yoga consists of physical excercises in order to strengthen one’s health and vitality; and there are those who believe that it is a psychological system, etc. Yoga in its’ essence is a relationship. The term “yoga” originates from sanskrit language (“jugit”) and means a connection (connecting something with something). Using the tools og yoga, a connection between individual consciousness and the Universal Consciousness is established. Yoga is a technology to expand one’s consciousness. Practicing yoga enables to brake one’s subconscious limitations. It gives the opportunity to use one’s full potential to experience the Infinite Self.
In contemporary world yoga is indispensable because more and more people ask questions like: Who am I? Where do I come from? Where am I going? The answers to these questions can only be found from within oneself, through personal experience. Uncertainty cannot be conceptualized – it can only be experienced.
In order to live life to the fullest, every person needs to understand why he/she is a human being and what it means to be a human being. Yoga gives tools and the technical “know-how” to find answers to these questions. In addition to answers to life’s principal questions, yoga also gives good health, a clear mind and peace of heart.
Kundalini yoga
The Kundalini yoga technology that has been developed by yogis during thousands of years, originates from India. Kundalini Yoga reached the West via Harbhajan Singh Khalsa Yogiji (Yogi Bhajan, PhD) in 1969. Yogi Bhajan also established the Kundalini Yoga Research Institute, (KRI, USA) as well as the global organisation „3HO” (healthy, happy, holy) that draws together hundreds of thousands of people around the planet. People that have chosen Kundalini yoga as their path.
Just as all rivers end up in the ocean, all yoga ends up raising the kundalini. What is kundalini? It is the full potential of a human being. Yogy Bhajan
All yoga styles are very good, it all comes down to what suits you best. Yogi Bhajan has said that different yoga styles are like different facets of a diamond. Kundalini yoga is the diamond itself because it combines in itself all the different facets of other yoga styles. Kundalini yoga is more intense and dynamic comprising of physical excercises (kriyas), breathing techniques (pranayama), body postures (asanas), hand gestures (mudras), chanting (mantras), relaxation and meditations.
What do you get out of Kundalini yoga (KY)?
- You learn to know your body – you develop a wider awareness about the processes that take place in your body. You learn to control and use them to your advantage. You become tougher, more resiliant and flexible. Your physical condition improves because you are giving a workout to all muscle groups. KY strengthens and builds all muscles to create and maintain balance in the physical body, because a muscle that is not constantly used, begins to atrophy and to disbalance you.
- Your general health improves. KY is working on strengthening the immune and nervous system as well as cleansing and balancing the entire organism.
- Stimulation of the circulation of bodily fluids. Because of the increase in heartbeat and the massage of internal tissues and organs, KY intensifies the circualtion of blood, lymphatic fluid and other bodily fluids. Blood must circulate from toes to the heart. There is no second heart located in the toes that would pump up the blood and combat the Earth’s gravitational force. There are flaps in veins that prevent blood from falling down again, so the yoga excercises that push the feet and the lower body, help bring blood from the veins to the heart. Blood must also reach the brain. All yoga postures where the head is lower than the body, help to accomplish that. Lymph circulation which is important for the immune system, acts through an indirect muscle pressure. The lymph system does not have an equivalent organ as the heart is for the blood circulation, so the muscle pressure from yoga excercises works intensively with the lymphatic circulation. The intravenous glands, the guardians of health, have no muscles to take their secretions into blood. Yoga massages the glands, empties them, keeps them alive and helps them to communicate with each other. Many yoga excercises enable the endocrine system to work by stimulating the pituitary gland through rythmical breathing and using sound and rythm of mantra.
- Tissues are being cleansed. No matter how healthy our nutritional habits, people tend to overestimate the body’s self-cleansing ability. Uric acid, calcium crystals and many other wastes and toxins are deposited in tissues and joints. They make us feel stiff and cause many illnesses. Muscle streching and internal massage bring the waste back into circulation so that the lungs, kidneys, intestines and skin are able to eliminate them.
- Coordination and cooperation between brain hemispheres improve.
- You become more calm. You learn how to keep a neutral state of mind and recuperate balance in difficult situations. You learn to maintain balance during more difficult times.
- You establish a better contact with your deeper essence. You develop your sensitivity and intuition that will help you understand who you are and what is your goal in life.
- You get extra energy and learn to “produce” it yourself.