Kundalini Yoga for Beginners: The Ultimate Course to Begin your Practice
Kundalini Yoga is known as the fast track to spiritual growth and enlightenment. Over time yoga has been split into various 'schools' focusing on different aspects of yoga and offer different tools and methods for spiritual growth and awareness. The Yoga Scriptures say that what you can achieve in 12 years of Hatha Yoga, plus 6 years of Raj Yoga, plus 3 years of Mantra Yoga, plus 1 year of Laya Yoga can be accomplished in a single year of perfectly practiced Kundalini Yoga. Understanding the foundations of Kundalini Yoga including mantra, pranayama, and drishti are an important part of your journey to mastering this incredible practice.
Kundalini yoga varies from practice to practice. Within a class or practice, you will find a combination of asana (body postures), pranayama (breathing techniques), mudra (hand positions), bandha (body locks), drishti (eye focus) and mantra (sound currents). These techniques are combined together in sequences called kriya (complete actions). The combination of all these ancient tools and techniques is what makes Kundalini Yoga so magical!
If you are new to Kundalini Yoga this is the perfect place to start! This course will take you through the basics of Kundalini Yoga and Meditation in an 11 part series of 20 - 25 minutes classes.
Pranayama (Breathing)
Pranayama is the science of breath, controlling the movement of prana through the use of breathing techniques.
Prana = life force energy
Yama = expansion or restriction
The breath is a fundamental tool in Kundalini Yoga and is used to manipulate the flow of energy through the body. Kundalini Yoga involves many pranayama techniques, using the rhythm and depth of the breath to effect and manage different energy states of health, consciousness, and emotion.
The mind and nervous system are deeply influenced by your breathing, meaning states of anxiety, anger and nervousness can be influenced through the use of the breath.
In this class you will learn the key pranayama practices commonly used in Kundalini Yoga including Long Deep Breathing and Breath of Fire (BOF). Expect to feel energised and confident in your breathing foundations.
Spinal Alignment
In Kundalini Yoga, a lot of the postures we do are working on aligning the spine, both physically and energetically. Preparing the body and aligning the energy along your spine is what prepares you for deep meditation. Move the energy along the spine in a simple class of forward bends, back bends and twists to feel aligned and centred through the central channel of your body.
Mantra (Sound)
Mantra is the scientific use of sound to affect your consciousness, chakras, and mind. It is the creative projection of the mind through sound. ‘MAN’ means mind. ‘TRA’ means wave or projection. Mantra is a sound current which alters the patterns of the mind and chemistry of the brain. In Kundalini Yoga, mantras are used to elevate and modify your consciousness through the mantra meaning and rhythmical repetition. Sound vibrations affect the body, mind, and spirit through movement of the tongue, mouth, and chemical changes in the brain. When we chant a mantra we are choosing to invoke the positive power contained in those particular syllables. Whether it's for prosperity, peace of mind, increasing intuition, or any of the other multitude of possible benefits inherent in mantras, simply by chanting them we are setting vibrations into motion that shall have an effect.
Mantra is a powerful part of Kundalini Yoga and is used in meditation as well as throughout your yoga practice. We are creating with every word we speak, and even with every word we think. By replacing your mundane and often negative thought patterns with mantra you can uplift yourself to feel calm, light and refreshed. Mantra can be used internally to focus the mind or chanted out loud. Working with the mantras 'Wahe Guru' and 'Sa Ta Na Ma' this class introduces you to key mantra in kundalini yoga to experience the power of mantra for yourself.
Nadi Energy Channels
Nadi is a Sanskrit word which is translated as “channel”, or “flow”. The Nadis are the channels through which the energies of the subtle body flow, the life force energy known as “Prana”. There are three main energy channels that run up the central axis of the body (the spine), Ida Nadi, Pingala Nadi and Shushumna Nadi. Our two main Nadi channels, Ida and Pingala, run from the base of the spine up along the spine ending at each nostril and are responsible for keeping the opposing energies in the body balanced. The central energy channel is known as Shushumna. Using movement and pranayama you can tune up the energy running through the nadi channels.
A deeply meditative breath session to balance the energy through the three main nadi channels. Start by warming up through the spine with Sufi Grind and Cat Cow. Remain seated as you move through a pranayama (breath) series including Left Nostril breathing, Right Nostril Breathing and Nadi Shodana (alternate nostril breathing). You will feel balanced and clear in your mind. The perfect energy tune up to rebalance any negative energy or emotions.
Navel Point
The navel point is a key focus of kundalini yoga as it is where dormant kundalini energy lies. The purpose of kundalini yoga is to awaken the dormant kundalini energy at the navel and transcend this energy upwards to experience higher states if consciousness and our own unlimited potential. The navel is your main source of energy and is the balance point between the intake of energy (prana) and the elimination flow (apana). The meeting point of these two opposing energies coil around at the navel and allows Kundalini energy to rise.
Move through a powerful short tune up of the navel point to feel strong and energised. Centring your energy at your navel point allows you to feel balanced, strong and in control. Using breath of fire throughout the class you will stimulate your energy and charge up the navel point. Start with warm ups postures before moving into a core focused series including stretch pose, bow pose and bridge pose. Rebalance your energy to feel full of vitality where you can step into your strength and power.
Bandhas (Body Locks)
The bandhas are the locks applied to body areas, which direct the flow of prana and apana. The locks are the basic techniques that allow an equilibrium to be established within the body, having profound effects on the body and mind.
There are three main bandhas:
Neck Lock (Jalandhara Bandha)
Diaphragm Lock (Uddiyana Bandha)
Root Lock (Mulabandha)
When all three locks are applied together it is called:
Great Lock (Maha Bandha)
After practicing series of poses or during practices it is beneficial to contain the blend of the prana and apana, so that the kundalini energy can awaken. Practicing bandhas deepens the effect on your energy so that the maximum effect of the pose is achieved.
Direct and maximise the flow of energy within the body through the use of bandhas in this introductory class to this ancient yogic technique. This class will take you through the central bandhas used in Kundalini Yoga: Mulabandha, Uddiyana Bandha, Jalandhara Bandha and a combination of all three, Maha Bandha. You will flow through a kriya where you will finish each pose with a bandha to direct the energy within the body.
Mudras (Gestures)
A mudra is a position of the hands that locks or seals and guides energy flow. Each area of the hand connects to a certain part of the body or brain, representing different emotions and behaviours. Each finger relates to a planetary energy and the quality that each planet represents. The thumb relates to the persona of the individual. By creating different gestures with the hands you can direct the flow of energy for a desired outcome.
We use mudras to channel the way energy flows through the nadis (energy channels). This class will start with an active yoga set to create a balance of energy in your body before moving into a mudra based meditation series to bring healing energy into your heart. Learn how to feel energy in your palms to create a conscious awareness of the way energy flows through you.
Prana and Apana (Energy Balance)
One of the main goals in yoga is to balance the energy that flows within you. In yogic philosophy, the two opposing energies in the body are known as Prana (inward energy) and Apana (elimination energy). These two energies meet at the navel centre where kundalini is stored. This practice will bring your energy into balance by stimulating the energy at the navel before transmuting energy into the heart space. Finish with a relaxation to concentrate energy into 6th chakra, the third eye to feel completely balanced and connected to the infinite.
Chakras (Energy Centres)
The word chakra translates to 'wheel' in English and can be pictured as spinning wheels of energy. If the energy is spinning too fast or too slow, you might feel out of balance. We want the energy at the chakra to be spinning just right so that we are in balance. The 7 main chakras are located along the central axis of the body, along the spine.
1st Chakra - Muladhara (Root) - Stability, Family, Money, Independence
2nd Chakra - Svadhisthana (Sacral) - Abundance, Creativity, Desire
3rd Chakra - Manipura (Solar Plexus) - Ego, Power, Confidence
4th Chakra - Anahata (Heart) - Love, Compassion, Forgiveness
5th Chakra - Vishuddha (Throat) - Communication, Self-Expression, Truth
6th Chakra - Ajna (Third Eye) - Intuition, Imagination, Wisdom
7th Chakra - Sahasrara (Crown) - Spiritual Connection
8th Chakra - Auric Field - Energy surrounding your body
Balance out your energy in this active and slightly challenging set that will introduce you to the chakras. Starting with the lower energy centres, known as the lower triangle, you'll work your way up the spine to the upper chakras to rebalance your energy centres and create an infinite experience. Finish with Sat Kriya to channel your energy up the spine and project out through the crown chakra.
Dhristi (Eye Focus)
Ever find your mind wandering off and suddenly you're thinking about a conversation you had today or what's for dinner later? This is where drishti comes in! Drishti or focused gaze, is a means for developing concentrated intention and can be an inward gaze or outward gaze. In Kundalini Yoga, we often use the third eye or the tip of the nose as our drishti. As you concentrate on a singular point you focus your mind, letting your thoughts fall away so you can go deep into mediation. This class will take you through a transcendental meditation using pranayama, movement and drishti. Expect a relaxed class to bring clarity and focus.
Meditation
To sum up our beginners series we will finish off by bringing together all the tools and techniques we have learnt into a meditation practice. The ultimate goal of asana (physical poses) in your yoga is to prepare the body so that you can sit in meditation and have a deep infinite experience. This class will start with gentle warm up postures to prepare the body before moving into Kirtan Kriya meditation. This is the perfect meditation for beginners or anyone who struggles with staying focused during mediation to access inner peace and stillness in the mind.
