The practice of Kundalini Yoga was made popular in the United States by Yogi Bhajan, Ph.D., who is considered a yoga master. Until the late 1960s, the practice of this form of yoga was kept secret and was passed down selectively to teachers and students.
Based on the belief that its practice allows you to cope better with the daily stresses of life by helping you to tap into a higher consciousness, Kundalini Yoga emphasizes the release of spiritual energy within the body. Its name comes from the Sanskrit word kundal, which translates to lock of hair from the beloved.
This lock of hair from the beloved is traditionally symbolized by the image of a coiled lock of hair and the image of a coiled serpent. In both images, the uncoiling of the lock of hair or the serpent represents the uncoiling of the kundalini energy (creative force) that resides in each of us. Kundalini Yoga teaches us that we each have a creative, individual, unique side of us that is hidden, waiting to be revealed.
Kundalini Awakening and the Chakras
Awakening kundalini is best thought of as awakening your true potential as a spiritual human being. People who practice Kundalini Yoga believe the majority of our psychic and emotional energy is trapped in our base chakra, located at the base of the spine, and that the practice of yoga can release this energy, sometimes referred to as kundalini shakti. Once released, the energy travels upward through the chakra system as each of the seven energy centers opens and releases.
Thus, the purpose of Kundalini Yoga is to awaken the kundalini and tap into the energy from the lower chakras, releasing it so it may move upward in the body. Kundalini Yoga practitioners also believe the kundalini rising will stimulate the pineal gland, which some think is the key to enlightenment.
These chakras or energy centers are described as follows:
The first chakra is at the base of your spine. This chakra acts as a root and keeps you securely grounded on the earth. The energy of this first chakra relates to primal needs.
The second chakra is centered in the vicinity of your reproductive organs. It controls sexual energy and creativity.
The third chakra is located at your solar plexus. It is connected to endurance, self-control and well-being.
The fouth chakra is centered in your chest, over your heart center. It is referred to as the heart chakra and is related to feelings and expressions of love, both towards the self and others.
The fifth chakra is located in your throat. It controls the ability to speak truthfully and to speak in your own defense.
The sixth chakra is at the center of your forehead, located between your eyebrows. It is connected to the ability to listen to intuition and retain visionary inspiration.
The seventh chakra is located at the crown of your head. This chakra is related to your ability to connect with the rest of the universe in mind, heart and spirit.
Kundalini Kriyas
The physical demands of Kundalini Yoga are challenging, but its focus is more on the spiritual impact of the poses instead of the physical benefits. While practice of the movements promotes strength, endurance and toning, they're ultimately designed to prepare the body for meditation.
Unlike Hatha yoga, where poses are held for a period of time, Kundalini Yoga moves rapidly, repetitively and rhythmically. For that reason, it delivers a good, cardiovascular workout, but most avid students pursue it as a means to deepen spiritual practice. The sets of movements performed are called kriyas which are defined as exercises in combination with breathing techniques that purify the chakras. Some of the kriyas used in Kundalini Yoga address the following: balance between head and heart, the nervous, endocrine and lymph systems, the frontal lobe of the brain and parathyroid gland and the areas around the ribcage, neck and shoulders.
While most people can learn to perform the kriyas, if you're new to yoga, you may want to prepare yourself for Kundalini Yoga by practicing a slower, more deliberate yoga first.
Pranayama and Chanting
All forms of yoga use pranayama (controlled breathing), but Kundalini Yoga explores the effects of controlled breathing in connection with postures and movement in a more intense manner. Kundalini Yoga makes use of specific breathing exercises like breath of fire that are believed to aid students in entering into a meditative state.
Most Kundalini classes begin with chanting and may bring additional chants into the actual practice (Sat Nam is a common chant used in Kundalini Yoga and it translates to "I am Truth, Truth Is My True Identity.") Depending upon the class you take, you may also enjoy a drum accompaniment during practice to help set the rhythm of the kriyas. Every Kundalini Yoga class ends with a song called "Long Time Sun." This is a song of blessing and serves to help ground students after practice, to better integrate the benefits of the practice and prepare them to resume their regular, daily activities.
 | There's much more buried within the philosophy of Tantric yoga than tricks for the bedroom. Tantra applies just as well to daily life as it does to nightlife. |
 | Kundalini yoga meditation is practiced to release this energy, unblocking the chakras and enabling the proper flow of Kundalini energy through the body. |
The word mantra translates literally to "instrument of thought." The repetition of the mantra is used to manipulate your thoughts, molding them into an intentional line of thinking and feeling. |
The word "bandha" actually translates to the word "lock" and it refers to both an energetic and muscular body locking, or sealing, that can be done while performing yoga postures. |
According to yoga science, our bodies have seven chakras that function as intake organs, collecting energy from the universe and enhancing different innate abilities and intuitions. |
