Kundalini yoga is a combination of Drishti (gaze), pranayama (breath), asanas, mudras, and mantras. This combination leads to a connection with a higher consciousness. When you combine these and practice them together, they are known as Kundalini kriyas.
A kriya is a series of movements, postures, or breathing patterns. When combined together as a series, it leads to the desired outcome for the body and the mind. Pranayama is a conscious breathing exercise, which is practiced initially to form a connection between the body, mind, and breath (spirit). Different pranayama have different effects and when they are combined with movements, they can create a great chemical change in the body.
Depending on the place where you set your Drishti (gaze) during your physical practice can deepen your focus and awareness. When mantras are fused in the practice, they leverage the sound vibrations within your body. Asanas in the kundalini kriya are used to release tension from the body. Moreover, it transfers energy around the body to stretch it, strengthen it, and release tension. Lastly, Mudras (hand gestures) used during the practice are energy seals that leverage the electrical and magnetic polarities in the hands and fingers.
So, without further ado, here are the 5 kundalini yoga poses
5 Kundalini Yoga Poses and Kriyas:
1. Breath of Fire
It is a powerful, detoxifying technique that uses inhalation and exhalation through the nose to heat up the body. This oxygenates the blood, detoxifies your body, and makes your solar plexus chakra strong. The solar plexus chakra is a seat of our determination and willpower. The solar plexus chakra gives you the strength to go through the set practice which can be very challenging at times.
You may get dizzy because of the chemical changes in the body and the detoxifying nature of the breath. You will feel better once you start focusing your eyes just behind your eyebrows and drinking a glass of water.
The correct way to do it:
- Start with inhaling and filling your stomach with air
- When you exhale, pull your stomach back into your spine and remove all the air from your lungs.
2. Ego Eradicator
This incredible exercise purifies your lungs, opens your heart, and balances the two hemispheres of the brain, which helps you plug into a higher conscience. Also, this exercise brings in higher levels of mental clarity, which silences the negative mind.
The correct way to do it:
- Sit in Sukhasana and make half a fist so that your fingertips are resting at the bottom of your fingers or the pads of your palm.
- Point both your thumbs up toward the sky
- Open your arms wide at 160 degrees and above your head
- Focus your eyes up and toward your Third Eye Chakra and start the Breath of Fire
3. Seated Cat Cow Pose
Yogis usually say, “You are only as old as your spine’s flexibility.” Stiffness in the spine can hinder the flow of your spinal fluid, create digestive issues, and quicken the ageing process.
The correct way to do it:
- Sit in Sukhasana and grab your keens with both hands
- Bring your awareness to the center of your heart
- Keep your eyes closed, inhale and push your chest forward for Cow Pose, and exhale while you are rounding your spine for the Cat Pose
4. Sufi Grind Pose
The above Seated Cat-Cow Pose focuses on the lower spine while the Sufi Grind Pose targets the thoracic (mid) spine.
The correct way to do it:
- Sit in Sukhasana and rest your palms on your knees
- Rotate your spine counterclockwise
- Inhale while cycling forward and exchange while circling back
- Change directions and do it again
5. Shoulder Twist
It is a wonderful mobility exercise for the cervical spine. It releases stiffness and tension from your shoulders, upper back, and neck. Meanwhile, your breath opens your lungs. This gives your immense energy, which enlarges and strengthens your aura.
The correct way to do it:
- Position both your fingertips on your shoulders
- Keep your elbows parallel to the floor and start twisting your upper torso from left to right
- Inhale while you twist left and exhale while you twist right
- Chant the mantra Sat Nam in your mind (Sat left, Nam right)
- Flow naturally between these movements
Try These Out
Kundalini yoga is a great practice to improve the quality of your life. The kundalini yoga poses mentioned in this article will create a balanced body and a focused mind. These kundalini kriyas may seem simple, but they are immensely powerful and help you create a better life.
FAQs
- Is Kundalini yoga good for beginners?
Yes, kundalini yoga is good for beginners. Even though it is an intense practice, it has many mental and physical benefits, which makes it great for beginners as well as advanced yogis.
- How is Kundalini yoga different from other yoga?
Kundalini yoga is more of a spiritual practice. Hatha or Vinyasa yoga revolves around physical poses whereas kundalini yoga is precise, repetitive, and combines many other aspects of yoga.
- What happens when Kundalini awakens?
It is said that once your kundalini awakens, your life changes forever. You get a massive energetic upgrade on your body, mind, and spirit. You move through life differently. One of the benefits of a Kundalini awakening is a feeling of blissfulness.
