ONE. - low impact exercise 🌙
It is a gentle, but powerful way to exercise. Even though the exercises (or kriyas) look very simple, most of them are physically challenging. Especially since you do each continuously for 3-5 minutes. Afterward, I usually feel sore in the most random places!
TWO. - clarity & peace 🧘♀️
It gives me clarity. Since it is a form of moving meditation, and lots of the exercises are done with your eyes closed, you get to really go deep within and meditate for a good amount of time. My most clear ideas, decisions, and realizations have come to me during meditation or kundalini yoga.
THREE. - whats happening in the universe 💫
You will tune in to what’s happening in the universe - like the moon cycle, the placement of the planets, the Mayan calendar or other ways of expressing the energies that are present right now, and will explain these to you. Sometimes you find yourself having huge aha moments of certain ways you have been feeling, and you will get the explanation in class. For example, during my last class, the teacher explained how mercury was in retrograde and that something in the universe was making people feel very “rollercoaster-y” about their emotions. One minute people are happy and the next they are sad. I had to laugh because I had been that exact way the whole week. You don’t have to believe in it, but sometimes it can be really comforting to know that there is something larger than yourself making you feel a certain way. Take from it what serves you!
FOUR. - learning how to breathe again 🧚♂️
Kundalini is very focused on the breath. For me, this is one of the main things I need to work on to lower my stress levels, as I can go a whole day forgetting to take a proper breath. It sounds weird that we humans are not able to breathe properly, as we are designed to breathe, but the “stressors” of modern society (noise, alarms, phones, computers, always being alert) are disturbing our natural breathing patterns. Scientific research is showing that mindful breathing is one of the most effective ways to lower everyday stress levels and improve a variety of health factors ranging from mood to metabolism. During Kundalini you go deeeeeep into the breath and learn new techniques that feel like they flush your whole body with ice-cold water!
FIVE. - feel the energy shift 🔮
During the exercises, you will quickly feel energy shifting through your body. It can be a change in temperature, goose bumps, or just a feeling of being more awake and connected. It feels so good afterward.
🌝
Do you want to try?
Find your nearest kundalini yoga center and go for a tryout. Be open-minded as it can be a bit different from anything you’ve ever tried before. You might find yourself singing and humming and doing weird things that you don’t normally do. Haha.
Through the app MindBody, you can search for “kundalini”. In Oslo, my favorite place is Northern Lights yoga. In Los Angeles, I love Kundalini Yoga By The Sea.
You can also do it at home, all you need is YouTube! My favorite YouTube teacher is Brett Larkin.