Any motion carried out throughout Kundalini Yoga apply will be known as a kriya.
Kundalini kriyas contain respiratory methods, 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 Nineteen Seventies, kriyas observe particular directions and are practised to realize a particular end result.
When practised diligently, Kundalini kriyas unblock and activate the chakras, subtly or straight 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 steerage 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.
It’s possible you’ll typically see Kundalini Yoga practitioners sporting white clothes and a white turban, however this isn’t necessary. Carrying white is recommended as a result of it’s believed to beat back unfavourable vitality and strengthen the aura.
White can also be a logo of peace, which can assist promote a peaceful and centered thoughts when practising kriyas.
By practising kundalini yoga kriyas, one can awaken the dormant kundalini vitality that lies on the base of the backbone in root chakra. In its woke up state, the vitality travels by way of the backbone to the crown of the pinnacle, activating the seven chakras.
This course of enhances self-awareness and encourages the free circulate of prana vitality.
Within the following part, we now have talked about 10 widespread kriyas which can be typically carried out by practitioners. You will need to focus in your breath, gaze and sounds you make throughout the kriya as they assist in unblocking energies and growing focus.
1. Breath of fireplace
The Breath of Fireplace is a necessary and integral a part of Kundalini Yoga kriyas.
This kriya is a respiratory method 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 must be equal.
Breath of fireplace kriya works on stimulating the Photo voltaic Plexus chakra which is the seat of willpower, willpower, and internal energy.
Observe the steps beneath 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 together 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 by way of 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.
- Ensure that the size of inhaling and exhaling are equal. Set up a rhythm and repeat the method for a minimum of 30 seconds.
- Step by step enhance the time restrict to 5-10 minutes.
Upon getting completed practising BOF, come again to secure respiratory.
This respiratory kriya is usually carried out in the beginning of the kundalini yoga class to heat up internally.
2. Sat kriya
Sat Kriya is among the basic kriyas of Kundalini Yoga. In accordance with Yogi Bhajan, practising Sat Kriya for simply three minutes a day can present the advantages of a whole yoga class.
The kriya is known as Sat Kriya as a result of it includes chanting Sat Nam in sync with the breath. Sat (pronounced sut, as in “reduce”) means fact, 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 straight stimulates the awakening of Kundalini Shakti. It gently massages the interior organs, regulates blood strain, and strengthens the guts. Moreover, it fosters the awakening of sexual vitality 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 beneath to carry out Sat kriya.
- Sit in a Vajrasana or Rock Pose. Your again must be straight, knees collectively and the highest of your ft must be on the bottom.
- Stretch each your fingers overhead and be part of your palms. Your higher arms must be touching your ears and your elbows mustn’t bend.
- Interlock all of your finger besides the index fingers of each fingers. Ideally, females ought to cross the left thumb over the proper and males ought to cross the proper thumb over the left. This hand place is named 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 interact any locks or bandhas as root and the diaphragm locks are mechanically engaged while you breath. All through the method of chanting, your backbone stays straight.
- Focus your gaze on the center of the brows together with your eyes closed.
If you’re a newbie, do sat kriya for a minimum of 3 minutes. Step by step enhance 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 couple of seconds whereas specializing in the Crown Chakra after which exhale utterly.
As quickly as you finish the Sat Kriya, it’s best to observe it up with an extended deep leisure. The everyday time for leisure is twice the size of time the kriya was practiced. This leisure time is a should as it’ll give time to your physique to assimilate with itself.
Be aware: 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 named to the gathering of 6 yogic kriyas used for inside physique cleaning.
3. Ego eradicator
Because the identify exhibits, Ego Eradicator kundalini kriya is practised to convey 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. This can be a highly regarded kriya amongst kundalini yoga practitioners.
Working towards the ego eradicator will open your coronary heart and stability the 2 hemispheres of the mind. It’s going to cleanse and strengthen the lungs and enhance spinal energy as nicely.
Furthermore, this kriya can even stability your chakras, guaranteeing a smoother circulate of prana vitality. It will promote psychological readability, consciousness, alertness, and quietness.
Observe the steps beneath to do that kriya.
- Sit in an Simple 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 concentrate on 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 recommendations on 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 just 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 sure that, bodily, there may be an uninterrupted circulate of the spinal fluid from the mind to the backbone. Spiritually, all of the chakras can be stimulated and promote a free circulate of prana.
- Sit in an Simple 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 mustn’t contact your ears and be relaxed. Additionally, concentrate on maintaining 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 Simple Pose (Sukhasana).
- Place your fingers in your shoulder, fingers within the entrance and thumb on the again. Your higher arms must be parallel to the bottom and elbows must be consistent with the shoulders.
- Twist to the proper 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 circulate.
Repeat the train for 1-3 minutes.
6. Stretch pose
The stretch pose is a difficult and superior train that usually causes issues to the practitioners. However if you’re conscious of your breath and concentrate on drawing your energy from the navel middle, it is possible for you to to simply conquer this pose.
This pose works on the whole physique. It resets the nervous system, strengthens the stomach organs, purifies and rejuvenates the blood. The stretch pose additionally focuses on the third eye chakra which calms your thoughts and enhances your vanity.
Ladies can particularly profit from this pose because it strengthens the reproductive organs.
If you’re a newbie, don’t power your physique to carry the pose for 3 minutes. When you can not maintain the pose for greater than 10 seconds, it’s tremendous to let go of the place and loosen up for a couple of seconds. Begin once more after enjoyable. You may step by step enhance the time whereas alternating between holding the pose and enjoyable for a couple of seconds.
- Lie down in your again.
- Lengthen the again of your neck and carry your head and higher chest collectively. Draw your chin in to maintain the pinnacle straight and lengthened.
- Raise your decrease leg, maintaining 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. You may also place them beside you, with palms going through inwards and never touching the bottom or your physique.
- When you really feel any discomfort in your decrease again, place your fingers underneath your buttocks for help or calmly relaxation the heel on the bottom.
- Apply 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 together with your legs stretched out in entrance of you.
- Seize your huge toes together 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 circumstances, the pinnacle follows final.
- Proceed this train for 1-3 minutes whereas respiratory deeply.
8. Cobra pose
The apply of this pose is just like Hatha yoga however the intention to carry out is barely totally different. In Kundalini Yoga, the cobra pose is practised to stability the apana. It additionally will increase the prana vitality circulate in order that the vitality circulates in direction of the upper centres.
By specializing in the Apana, it additionally stimulates and balances sexual vitality.
- Lie down in your abdomen and place your forearms beside your ribs. Preserve your legs joined collectively.
- Convey your fingers beneath your shoulders and unfold your fingers to create a agency help and unfold the load evenly.
- Inhale and carry your head, chest and backbone upwards whereas maintaining 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 practising 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 all the way down to lie down on the mat utterly.
9. Archer pose
Bodily talking, the archer pose will strengthen your quads, legs, knees, shoulders, and arms. Internally, it’ll stimulate the third eye chakra and promote emotions of fearlessness, willpower, and willpower.
- Begin by standing within the Tadasana (Mountain Pose).
- Step your left foot to the again by approx. 3 ft. Place your left heel on the ground and switch the toes to a 45-degree angle. Your left leg must be straight.
- Bend the proper knee in order that your thighs are parallel to the ground and your knee is consistent with the ankle. Ensure that your proper foot heel is consistent with the arch of the left foot.
- Curl the fingers of each fingers 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 must be parallel to the bottom and each the shoulders must be in line.
- Focus your gaze on the tip of your right-hand thumb.
Apply this pose for 3 minutes on every leg.
10. Deep Rest
Simply as a Hatha Yoga session ends with Savasana (Corpse Pose), Kundalini Yoga additionally incorporates a deep leisure method. The aim is just like permit the physique to soak up and benefit from the modifications led to by the kriyas. You may bask within the rejuvenating vitality of your aura and let your physique absolutely loosen up.
Merely lie in your again together 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 only a few among the many many Kundalini Yoga kriyas taught by Yogi Bhajan. By stimulating and activating the chakras and prana vitality circulate, you permit the Kundalini vitality 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 aim of any yoga apply.
