According to Hinduism, there is a powerful, but dormant, store of energy lying within you. This energy is known as kundalini. The practice of kundalini yoga combines physical exercises and poses, chants and meditation to access and release this energy, uniting the self with the divine. Kundalini yoga came to the West in the late 1960s, but has been practiced in India for many centuries.
Identification
"Kundalini" refers to a supply of cosmic, psychic or creative energy that lies dormant within you. The word "kundalini" comes from the Sanskirt word "kunda," or "coil." Kundalini is often visually represented as a coiled serpent lying at the base of the spine, according to KundaliniYoga.org. The techniques of kundalini yoga strive to raise this energy by uncoiling this sleeping serpent.
History
According to 3HO.org, kundalini yoga has a history in India that goes back thousands of years. Oral tradition preserved the knowledge, as ancient masters passed the knowledge to disciples. Yogi Bhajan studied the practice of kundalini yoga for many years in India before bringing this knowledge to the West. Bhajan introduced kundalini yoga to the United States in 1969 with the founding of the 3HO Foundation.
Features
Kundalini yoga relies not on difficult poses, but on sequences or sets called kriyas that combine components found in other yoga styles. These components include exercises and postures, or asanas; ritualistic hand gestures, or mudras; the chanting of mantras; breathing techniques, or pranayama; and meditation. Although other forms of yoga contain these elements, kundalini practitioners claim the kriyas, by combining yoga elements, achieve results much faster than other styles of yoga. In addition, because kundalini yoga does not rely on poses that are difficult or potentially dangerous for beginners, it is safe to practice alone. Other important kundalini yoga elements cited by KundaliniYoga.org include focus, requiring practitioners to concentrate on breath, a body part, a chakra or other function; visualization of energy movement, light, color or other elements; and projection of consciousness into the universe.
Effects
Practicing kundalini yoga enables you to access and raise the kundalini, or dormant energy, through the body's seven major energy centers, known as chakras. The chakras are located throughout the body, with the lowest, or muladhara, situated at the spine's base, and the highest, or sahasrara, located in the brain. The ultimate goal of kundalini yoga is to raise the kundalini through your body, reaching the highest of the chakras, which is said to unite the self with the divine and create a strong feeling of bliss.
Benefits
The practice of kundalini yoga offers various benefits, according to practitioners. According to the 3HO Foundation, the practice strengthens the nervous system, helps cope with the stresses of daily life, and harnesses mental and emotional energy. Some practitioners claim that kundalini yoga even enhances sex life by increasing levels of sexual energy.
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