Kundalini means energy, and Kundalini yoga is a powerful and useful practice. It works quickly to reduce stress, improve mental clarity, and elevate moods. It forgoes complex poses for energy-boosting, breath driven exercises, quick meditations, and simple poses. Using Kundalini yoga activates the chemical distributions in the brain that are your natural substances. Certain mantras and breathing exercises make actual physical changes to the brain and body. In short, it’s practical magic.

Kundalini yoga relies heavily on chanting, breath, and meditation. There is no vinyasa flow, no chaturangas, no hands on adjustments in postures. The kriya exercises (or postures) done during class can be physically or mentally challenging, or both. Some are short bursts of physical movement and others are a static holding of a position, with breathwork and meditation practiced throughout.

Kundalini yoga directly works on the endocrine and nervous systems to positively affect your life, creating a greater sense of peace and relaxation as well as a deep satisfaction with relationships, work, and creativity. Chanting mantras directly changes the frequency with which your adrenals release stress hormones. The hypothalamus is located just on top of the brain stem right above the roof of the mouth, which is why chanting and vibrating a mantra gets direct results. Deep yogic breathing increases bone strength and density by creating more minerals in the body and delivering them deep into your bone marrow. Physical yoga postures stretch and tone your muscles. Kundalini Yoga can reach major emotional and energetic breakthroughs in under 3 minutes of practice. Who doesn’t have time for that!

Anyone trying to deal with the increasing daily demands of modern life. So…everyone. We live in a world of constant media onslaught, communication, and societal pressure. Being able to withstand and process the intensity of the world right now is a critical application of yoga and meditation. There are no prerequisites for you to gain the benefits of Kundalini yoga. It is easy enough for the injured and ill and powerful enough to challenge even the most robust athlete.

Ok, we know. You have probably heard that Kundalini yoga is weird. But if being weird means ridding the body of toxins and trauma to experience immense prosperity and creativity, then call us David Bowie. Unlike your go-to gym vinyasa class, Kundalini yoga isn’t an athletic flow. Every class begins by sitting in easy pose and tuning-in with the same mantra recitation. It’s ok if you don’t know it. Listening to the sounds will still deliver benefits until you learn them. There is then usually a dharma talk by the teacher followed by a series of sets that involve different kriyas (postures), breathwork, and mantras. Each posture will last for a few minutes and each set is followed by a meditation. Do your best, no one is judging…or watching. Except the teacher. And trust us, they have seen everything!

If you like. But you can also wear black, leopard print, or whatever makes you feel comfortable and awesome. Just wear something. You’ll see the teacher and many students wearing white, including a turban or other head covering. Wearing white helps to expand your energy and lifeforce and filter out negative energy. See for yourself!

Then you probably need it. The results of Kundalini yoga can vary from subtle energetic changes to powerful emotional breakthroughs. Sometimes you aren’t even aware of the changes that are occuring. If you ask anyone who is a long time practitioner of Kundalini, it was often the first few classes that were the hardest to get through. But if you stick with it, you will start to experience an expansiveness in your life that you have never witnessed before. Like anything, it takes practice and dedication

Yes, it is incredibly important for you and especially for your baby to participate in class as much as possible prior to giving birth! There are modifications to some movements if you are pregnant, and of course we encourage you to take things slowly and to be a little careful with your practice. Contact us for more information.