Hari Kirin Kaur aka Joan Hanley. |
Kundalini Yoga includes all elements of the ancient teachings of yoga: Mantra (sounds), Pranayam (breathing techniques), Asana (postures), Mudra (hand positions), and Meditation. These aspects are combined into series of exercises called Kryias. Some Kryias are dynamic and energetic, others are slow and meditative. Kundalini Yoga not only develops more flexible and toned muscles but also strengthens the nervous, glandular, and immune systems. It increases mental energy and gives you a deep inner calm, strength, and grace. This ancient system draws upon a vast body of teachings brought to the West by Yogi Bhajan. When I teach Yoga I wear a white turban and teach the Kryias and Meditations just as they were taught to me. I am deciding which Kryia to teach and which warm-ups are best to prepare for that Kryia, but I do not change the order of postures, the breathing, mantras, etc. Kundalini Yoga is very traditional and is clearly Post-modern. As Yogi Bhajan said, "You must understand that in the Age of Aquarius, each one shall be the leader of his or her own spirit. Each one shall be the pivot of his or her own life." The first thing any student of Kundalini yoga learns is how to tune in and connect directly to the wisdom of the Self and the lineage of this ancient science. |