Before you get started with Kundalini yoga, here are 5 unique elements that you should understand about this special type of yoga…

Kundalini yoga is a unique form of yoga that focuses on energy and breath work along with your asanas or poses. I have heard Kundalini yoga called the “Mother of Yoga,” as it is supposedly one of the first forms of yoga ever created (though I am not sure whether that is true or not). This form of yoga was designed to heal the body and mind through breath, movement, and timing, and is believed to increase your energetic awareness and interact with the brain and nervous system on a cellular level. It is also thought to help connect you with the divine essence within yourself.

If it sounds powerful, it is!  Some enthusiasts describe Kunalini as “a tool to achieve a life full of lightness, joy, and boundless love.” As you can see, there are lots of reasons to love Kundalini yoga!

Before you get started, you should understand the basic elements of a Kundalini practice, as these may differ somewhat from other types of yoga that you may have tried.

Here are 5 unique things you should know about Kundalini yoga, according to YogaJournal.com:

What You Need to Know About the Breath

The most common breath used in Kundalini Yoga is Long Deep Breathing, where you breathe slow and deep in and out through the nose by expanding the stomach out on the inhale and contracting the stomach in on the exhale.

Every meditation and kriya has a specific breath and posture to help generate or release specific energy. One of the most common and loved breathwork practices in Kundalini Yoga is Breath of Fire. Breath of fire is practiced by breathing rapidly equal parts in and out through the nose by pumping your stomach to create oxygen in your blood and charge your electromagnetic field. Breathwork is a beautiful tool to have when you’re feeling stressed or overwhelmed…

What You Need to Know About Mantras

Mantras aren’t as intimidating and woo-woo as they sound! The use of chants and sound, or mantras, have the power to signal a chemical reaction in the brain and body, positively affecting your mood. The moods we feel—like happiness, joy, and sadness—all vibrate at a specific frequency. By chanting a mantra, we are channeling the positive power of them, whether it’s peace, abundance, or prosperity. Chanting a mantra attracts your body to vibrate at that frequency, elevating your mood to higher vibrations, creating a more abundant and high-vibe state of mind. You don’t always have to be sitting in meditation to use mantras; you can also use mantras in your sleep or when you’re driving—the energy of the sacred tones and sounds will fill your space and attract that energy into reality…

What You Need to Know About Kriyas

When you put breath, posture, and sounds all together, you have a kriya—or a set of exercises. Kriya means “action,” and it is through a specific set of actions and commitment where manifestation can begin to take place. Kriyas work on all level of your mind, body, and spirit, creating an overall healthy and abundant life full of vitality…

What You Need to Know About Mudras

Mudras are hand positions that lock and direct energy into different parts of our brains. Thousands of years ago, yogis mapped out the hands and how they are connected to different parts of the brain and body through specific hand placement. We always use a finger to finger placement and press down to activate the energy.

The most common mudra in Kundalini yoga is the gyan mudra that uses the thumb and index fingers to stimulate knowledge. In order to accomplish this mudra, you must put pressure with the thumb to index finger, which activates the points of the finger. The index finger is associated with Jupiter, which represents expansion. In this mudra, you experience receptivity and calmness. We use this passive yet powerful form unless there is another active form specified.

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What You Need to Know About Meditations

Meditations in Kundalini Yoga have releasing and healing results. During meditation, you can feel entirely awakened, heightened, and moved by the energy you’re releasing or creating. The meditations in Kundalini yoga are practiced at specific lengths to achieve different results. A 3-minute meditation affects the electromagnetic field and circulation of blood in the body, while an 11-minute meditation begins to alter the nervous and glandular systems of the body. A 31-minute meditation affects all cells, rhythms of the body, and clears out the subconscious mind.

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Throughout the month of January, we will be sharing some powerful Kundalini exercises and meditations to help you achieve your most important goals in the New Year, so be sure to check back each Wednesday for a new online class!