Any motion carried out throughout Kundalini Yoga follow may be known as a kriya.
Kundalini kriyas contain respiratory strategies, chants, and bodily actions that assist awaken the kundalini shakti from its dormant state.
In Kundalini Yoga, launched to the West by Yogi Bhajan within the Seventies, kriyas comply with particular directions and are practised to realize a particular end result.
When practised diligently, Kundalini kriyas unblock and activate the chakras, subtly or instantly reworking the physique and thoughts of the practitioner. In addition they goal organs such because the liver, backbone, abdomen, intestines, and eyes.
These kriyas are practised in the identical means Yogi Bhajan taught them, following the steering of Kundalini academics. A typical Kundalini Yoga class begins with a gap mantra, adopted by a warm-up, performing a kriya, and concluding with meditation.
You could usually see Kundalini Yoga practitioners carrying white clothes and a white turban, however this isn’t necessary. Carrying white is usually recommended as a result of it’s believed to thrust back damaging power and strengthen the aura.
White can be a logo of peace, which can assist promote a peaceful and targeted thoughts when practising kriyas.
By practising kundalini yoga kriyas, one can awaken the dormant kundalini power that lies on the base of the backbone in root chakra. In its woke up state, the power travels via the backbone to the crown of the pinnacle, activating the seven chakras.
This course of enhances self-awareness and encourages the free movement of prana power.
Within the following part, we have now talked about 10 widespread kriyas which might be usually carried out by practitioners. You will need to focus in your breath, gaze and sounds you make in the course of the kriya as they assist in unblocking energies and rising focus.
1. Breath of fireplace
The Breath of Fireplace is an important and integral a part of Kundalini Yoga kriyas.
This kriya is a respiratory approach that generates internal warmth, aiding in detoxing and energizing the thoughts and physique. In Breath of Fireplace, you inhale passively and exhale forcefully with out pauses. The tempo and size of every breath needs to be equal.
Breath of fireplace kriya works on stimulating the Photo voltaic Plexus chakra which is the seat of willpower, dedication, and internal energy.
Observe the steps under to carry out Breath of fireplace kriya;
- Sit in a cross-legged yoga pose, prefeabbly; lotus pose or simple pose or thunderbolt pose. Sit tall along with your again upright.
- Place your palms on the knees, both in Gyan Mudra or just palms opens going through upwards.
- Have interaction your stomach and inhale via your nostril. You need to really feel your stomach and diaphragm increasing.
- With none pause, exhale forcefully. Your stomach and diaphragm ought to snap again into the backbone.
- Make sure that the size of inhaling and exhaling are equal. Set up a rhythm and repeat the method for no less than 30 seconds.
- Regularly improve the time restrict to 5-10 minutes.
After getting completed practising BOF, come again to steady respiratory.
This respiratory kriya is usually carried out at first of the kundalini yoga class to heat up internally.
2. Sat kriya
Sat Kriya is likely one of the elementary kriyas of Kundalini Yoga. In response to Yogi Bhajan, practising Sat Kriya for simply three minutes a day can present the advantages of a complete yoga class.
The kriya is called Sat Kriya as a result of it includes chanting Sat Nam in sync with the breath. Sat (pronounced sut, as in “lower”) means reality, honesty, or righteousness, whereas Nam (pronounced naam, as in “calm”) means identify. Chanting Sat Nam is a means of invoking the divine and aligning with the reality inside your self.
Sat Kriya instantly stimulates the awakening of Kundalini Shakti. It gently massages the inner organs, regulates blood strain, and strengthens the guts. Moreover, it fosters the awakening of sexual power and promotes deep leisure.
The three decrease chakras Root, Sacral, and Photo voltaic Plexus—are stimulated concurrently, serving to to calm the thoughts and enhance focus.
Observe the steps under to carry out Sat kriya.
- Sit in a Vajrasana or Rock Pose. Your again needs to be straight, knees collectively and the highest of your toes needs to be on the bottom.
- Stretch each your palms overhead and be part of your palms. Your higher arms needs to be touching your ears and your elbows shouldn’t bend.
- Interlock all of your finger besides the index fingers of each palms. Ideally, females ought to cross the left thumb over the best and males ought to cross the best thumb over the left. This hand place is known as kali mudra.
- Begin chanting Sat Nam in a relentless rhythmic method 8 instances in 10 seconds.
- On inhalation, pull your navel in and up in direction of the backbone, chant Sat. Whereas exhaling, chant Nam and loosen up the stomach.
- You do not want to have interaction any locks or bandhas as root and the diaphragm locks are mechanically engaged if you breath. All through the method of chanting, your backbone stays straight.
- Focus your gaze on the center of the brows along with your eyes closed.
In case you are a newbie, do sat kriya for no less than 3 minutes. Regularly improve the time to 31 minutes.
On the finish of three minutes, inhale deeply and squeeze the muscle mass from the buttocks previous the shoulder blades. Maintain your breath for a number of seconds whereas specializing in the Crown Chakra after which exhale fully.
As quickly as you finish the Sat Kriya, you must comply with it up with a protracted deep leisure. The standard time for leisure is twice the size of time the kriya was practiced. This leisure time is a should as it’s going to give time on your physique to assimilate with itself.
Observe: Sat kriya of kundalini yoga shouldn’t be misunderstood with Shat kriyas of Hatha Yoga. In kundalini yoga, sat kriya is a chant synch with respiratory motion whereas in hatha yoga shat kriya (shat means 6) is known as to the gathering of 6 yogic kriyas used for inside physique cleaning.
3. Ego eradicator
Because the identify reveals, Ego Eradicator kundalini kriya is practised to deliver that openness within the coronary heart which removes the sense of I-ness and calms the thoughts.
Ego Eradicator kriya is carried out by opening the arms up & sideways. Then with this arms place Breath of Fireplace is carried out. It is a very fashionable kriya amongst kundalini yoga practitioners.
Training the ego eradicator will open your coronary heart and stability the 2 hemispheres of the mind. It is going to cleanse and strengthen the lungs and enhance spinal energy as nicely.
Furthermore, this kriya will even stability your chakras, making certain a smoother movement of prana power. This can promote psychological readability, consciousness, alertness, and tranquility.
Observe the steps under to do that kriya.
- Sit in an Straightforward Pose (Sukhasana).
- Stretch your arms overhead at an angle of 60-degrees. Curl your fingers in order that the fingertips contact the bottom of the fingers. Preserve the thumb prolonged and pointed in direction of the sky.
- Shut your eyes and deal with the Third Eye Chakra.
- Start Breath of Fireplace and proceed for 1-3 minutes.
- On the finish of the kriya, be part of the thumbs on the tips about an inhale and apply the foundation lock on exhale. Take one other inhale and loosen up your physique on exhale.
4. Spinal stretch
This kriya is much like the Cat-Cow pose in Hatha Yoga. The one distinction is that you may be practising the spinal stretch in a seated place. By way of the spinal flex kriya, you may cut back the tightness and stiffness within the backbone.
Doing spinal stretch will be certain that, bodily, there may be an uninterrupted movement of the spinal fluid from the mind to the backbone. Spiritually, all of the chakras can be stimulated and promote a free movement of prana.
- Sit in an Straightforward Pose (Sukhasana) with eyes closed.
- Maintain each your shins or knees.
- Inhale and flex your backbone ahead and open your chest. Exhale and flex the backbone backward.
- At any time, the shoulders shouldn’t contact your ears and be relaxed. Additionally, concentrate on protecting your head straight.
Repeat the train for 3 minutes.
5. Spinal twist
The spinal twist train successfully loosens your backbone, particularly decrease and mid-spine. It releases any stiffness or stress within the backbone and again muscle mass, strengthens the lungs and cleanses your aura.
- Sit in an Straightforward Pose (Sukhasana).
- Place your palms in your shoulder, fingers within the entrance and thumb on the again. Your higher arms needs to be parallel to the bottom and elbows needs to be consistent with the shoulders.
- Twist to the best as you inhale after which on the left as you exhale. Whereas twisting, your head and backbone will stay straight. Chant Sat on inhale and Nam on exhale.
- Don’t be stiff. Enable your again and head to simply twist with the movement.
Repeat the train for 1-3 minutes.
6. Stretch pose
The stretch pose is a difficult and superior train that always causes issues to the practitioners. However if you’re conscious of your breath and deal with drawing your energy from the navel middle, it is possible for you to to simply conquer this pose.
This pose works on all the physique. It resets the nervous system, strengthens the belly organs, purifies and rejuvenates the blood. The stretch pose additionally focuses on the third eye chakra which calms your thoughts and enhances your shallowness.
Ladies can particularly profit from this pose because it strengthens the reproductive organs.
In case you are a newbie, don’t drive your physique to carry the pose for 3 minutes. If you happen to can not maintain the pose for greater than 10 seconds, it’s high-quality to let go of the place and loosen up for a number of seconds. Begin once more after enjoyable. You’ll be able to regularly improve the time whereas alternating between holding the pose and enjoyable for a number of seconds.
- Lie down in your again.
- Lengthen the again of your neck and raise your head and higher chest collectively. Draw your chin in to maintain the pinnacle straight and lengthened.
- Elevate your decrease leg, protecting the decrease again on the bottom, roughly 6 inches from the bottom. Repair your gaze within the suggestions of your toes.
- Preserve your hand stretched out in entrance of you with palms down however not touching your physique. It’s also possible to place them beside you, with palms going through inwards and never touching the bottom or your physique.
- If you happen to really feel any discomfort in your decrease again, place your palms underneath your buttocks for assist or evenly relaxation the heel on the bottom.
- Follow Breath of Fireplace on this pose.
7. Entrance life nerve stretch
The Life Nerve Stretch in Kundalini Yoga is similar because the Seated Ahead Bend (Paschimottanasana) in Hatha Yoga. This train strengthens the legs and pelvis whereas stimulating the sciatic nerves. The ahead fold additionally promotes spinal lengthening and strengthening.
- Sit along with your legs stretched out in entrance of you.
- Seize your massive toes along with your finger. Wrap the index and center finger across the toe and press the toenail with the pads of your thumb.
- With an elongated backbone, have interaction your navel and bend ahead whereas exhaling. On the subsequent inhale, push up with the energy of your legs and the navel. In each instances, the pinnacle follows final.
- Proceed this train for 1-3 minutes whereas respiratory deeply.
8. Cobra pose
The follow of this pose is much like Hatha yoga however the intention to carry out is barely completely different. In Kundalini Yoga, the cobra pose is practised to stability the apana. It additionally will increase the prana power movement in order that the power circulates in direction of the upper centres.
By specializing in the Apana, it additionally stimulates and balances sexual power.
- Lie down in your abdomen and place your forearms beside your ribs. Preserve your legs joined collectively.
- Convey your palms under your shoulders and unfold your fingers to create a agency assist and unfold the load evenly.
- Inhale and raise your head, chest and backbone upwards whereas protecting your pelvis and legs on the mat. Preserve your shoulder away out of your ears and shoulders blades pressed in direction of the again.
- Keep on this pose for 1-3 minutes whereas training Breath of Fireplace.
- On the subsequent inhale, stretch your backbone to the utmost. Maintain your breath within the subsequent exhale and apply the foundation lock. Inhale and exhale whereas slowly coming right down to lie down on the mat fully.
9. Archer pose
Bodily talking, the archer pose will strengthen your quads, legs, knees, shoulders, and arms. Internally, it’s going to stimulate the third eye chakra and promote emotions of fearlessness, willpower, and dedication.
- Begin by standing within the Tadasana (Mountain Pose).
- Step your left foot to the again by approx. 3 toes. Place your left heel on the ground and switch the toes to a 45-degree angle. Your left leg needs to be straight.
- Bend the best knee in order that your thighs are parallel to the ground and your knee is consistent with the ankle. Make sure that your proper foot heel is consistent with the arch of the left foot.
- Curl the fingers of each palms into your palm besides the thumb. Put your arms in entrance of your with this hand formation.
- Pull your left hand again in order that the fist is close to the left shoulder as when you had been pulling the arrow from the bow. Your proper arm needs to be parallel to the bottom and each the shoulders needs to be in line.
- Focus your gaze on the tip of your right-hand thumb.
Follow this pose for 3 minutes on every leg.
10. Deep Leisure
Simply as a Hatha Yoga session ends with Savasana (Corpse Pose), Kundalini Yoga additionally incorporates a deep leisure approach. The aim is much like enable the physique to soak up and benefit from the adjustments led to by the kriyas. You’ll be able to bask within the rejuvenating power of your aura and let your physique totally loosen up.
Merely lie in your again along with your arms by your sides, palms going through up. Shut your eyes and loosen up for 11 to fifteen minutes..
Conclusion
The kriyas talked about above are just some among the many many Kundalini Yoga kriyas taught by Yogi Bhajan. By stimulating and activating the chakras and prana power movement, you enable the Kundalini power to align and rise upward.
By combining breath, gaze, and sound, you additionally activate the third eye and crown chakras, fostering a connection to divine consciousness the final word purpose of any yoga follow.
