Yoga is a form of exercise that originated in India thousands of years ago that combines slow, meditative movements of the body with breath control techniques. Kundalini is one particular form of yoga and its simple definition is that of a spiral or coil, usually associated with the image of a snake, resting at the base of your spine.
Types
Kundalini yoga is just one of many styles of "hatha" yoga that is widely practiced in the United States. Hatha yoga emphasizes breath control and particular, definitive poses. Other types of yoga include Ashtanga, Bikram and Iyengar, and all of them vary in their degree of intensity and difficulty.
Facts
Kundalini practitioners believe that the “coil” at the base of your spine represents untapped energy that should be released to achieve maximum health benefits. At the National Institutes of Health, Kundalini yoga has been the subject of clinical trials to study its efficacy in alleviating “addictive and substance abuse disorders, major depressive disorders, dyslexia, grief, insomnia and other sleep disorders."
Considerations
For healthy people interested in exploring Kundalini yoga, you need to understand that at its core, Kundalini yoga is rooted in a spiritual belief system. Kundalini practitioners believe that all along your spine are currents of energy sources known as chakras. There are seven of these energy centers and if any of these are blocked, you can become ill or unhealthy in some way. Kundalini yoga helps unblock these chakras.
Purpose
The goal of Kundalini yoga is to raise the currents of energy all the way up your spine until it is merged with the top of your head. If you reach this stage, your chakras have been cleared and you achieve a spiritual awakening and/or some form of psychic insight. To this end, Kundalini yoga emphasizes certain exercises that enhance Pranayama, or breath control. The rough translation of this is prana (exhalation) and Apana (incoming breath).
Researching
Reading about Kundalini yoga is a way to introduce yourself to this ancient mystical practice and to determine if it is the right style of yoga for you. There are classical works of literature that contain information about Kundalini found in the Yoga Upanishads. Ultimately, Kundalini is one of the more difficult methods of yoga and it is best performed under the guidance of an experienced teacher or guru.
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