Any motion carried out throughout Kundalini Yoga apply will be known as a kriya.
Kundalini kriyas contain respiration 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 observe particular directions and are practised to realize a particular final result.
When practised diligently, Kundalini kriyas unblock and activate the chakras, subtly or straight reworking the physique and thoughts of the practitioner. Additionally they goal organs such because the liver, backbone, abdomen, intestines, and eyes.
These kriyas are practised in the identical manner Yogi Bhajan taught them, following the steerage of Kundalini lecturers. A typical Kundalini Yoga class begins with a gap mantra, adopted by a warm-up, performing a kriya, and concluding with meditation.
Chances are you’ll typically see Kundalini Yoga practitioners sporting white clothes and a white turban, however this isn’t necessary. Carrying white is usually recommended as a result of it’s believed to keep at bay unfavorable power and strengthen the aura.
White can 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 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 top, activating the seven chakras.
This course of enhances self-awareness and encourages the free movement of prana power.
Within the following part, we’ve got talked about 10 frequent kriyas which can be typically carried out by practitioners. It is very important focus in your breath, gaze and sounds you make in the course of the kriya as they assist in unblocking energies and growing focus.
1. Breath of fireplace
The Breath of Hearth is a necessary and integral a part of Kundalini Yoga kriyas.
This kriya is a respiration method that generates internal warmth, aiding in cleansing and energizing the thoughts and physique. In Breath of Hearth, 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, willpower, 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 dealing with 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.
- Ensure the size of inhaling and exhaling are equal. Set up a rhythm and repeat the method for at the very least 30 seconds.
- Regularly improve the time restrict to 5-10 minutes.
Upon getting completed practising BOF, come again to secure respiration.
This respiration kriya is mostly carried out at the start of the kundalini yoga class to heat up internally.
2. Sat kriya
Sat Kriya is without doubt one of 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 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 “minimize”) means fact, honesty, or righteousness, whereas Nam (pronounced naam, as in “calm”) means title. Chanting Sat Nam is a manner 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 inner organs, regulates blood stress, and strengthens the center. Moreover, it fosters the awakening of sexual power and promotes deep rest.
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 a 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 fitting and males ought to cross the fitting thumb over the left. This hand place is known as kali mudra.
- Begin chanting Sat Nam in a relentless rhythmic method 8 occasions in 10 seconds.
- On inhalation, pull your navel in and up in direction of the backbone, chant Sat. Whereas exhaling, chant Nam and calm down the stomach.
- You do not want to interact any locks or bandhas as root and the diaphragm locks are robotically engaged while 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 at the very least 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 couple of seconds whereas specializing in the Crown Chakra after which exhale fully.
As quickly as you finish the Sat Kriya, you need to observe it up with a protracted deep rest. The everyday time for rest is twice the size of time the kriya was practiced. This rest time is a should as it is going to give time on your physique to assimilate with itself.
Notice: 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 respiration motion whereas in hatha yoga shat kriya (shat means 6) is known as to the gathering of 6 yogic kriyas used for inner physique cleaning.
3. Ego eradicator
Because the title 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 Hearth is carried out. It is a highly regarded kriya amongst kundalini yoga practitioners.
Training the ego eradicator will open your coronary heart and steadiness the 2 hemispheres of the mind. It’s going to cleanse and strengthen the lungs and enhance spinal energy as properly.
Furthermore, this kriya may also steadiness your chakras, guaranteeing a smoother movement of prana power. It will promote psychological readability, consciousness, alertness, and quietness.
Observe the steps under 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. Hold the thumb prolonged and pointed in direction of the sky.
- Shut your eyes and deal with the Third Eye Chakra.
- Start Breath of Hearth and proceed for 1-3 minutes.
- On the finish of the kriya, be a part of the thumbs on the tips about an inhale and apply the foundation lock on exhale. Take one other inhale and calm down 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 can be practising the spinal stretch in a seated place. By means of the spinal flex kriya, you may scale 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 might be stimulated and promote a free movement 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 shouldn’t contact your ears and be relaxed. Additionally, concentrate on retaining 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 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 according to the shoulders.
- Twist to the fitting 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. Permit 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 in case you are conscious of your breath and deal with drawing your energy from the navel heart, it is possible for you to to simply conquer this pose.
This pose works on the complete 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 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. Should you can not maintain the pose for greater than 10 seconds, it’s advantageous to let go of the place and calm down for a couple of seconds. Begin once more after enjoyable. You possibly can step by step improve 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 top straight and lengthened.
- Elevate your decrease leg, retaining the decrease again on the bottom, roughly 6 inches from the bottom. Repair your gaze within the ideas of your toes.
- Hold your hand stretched out in entrance of you with palms down however not touching your physique. You too can place them beside you, with palms dealing with inwards and never touching the bottom or your physique.
- Should you really feel any discomfort in your decrease again, place your palms below your buttocks for assist or flippantly relaxation the heel on the bottom.
- Follow Breath of Hearth 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 huge 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, interact 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 top follows final.
- Proceed this train for 1-3 minutes whereas respiration deeply.
8. Cobra pose
The apply of this pose is just like Hatha yoga however the intention to carry out is barely completely different. In Kundalini Yoga, the cobra pose is practised to steadiness 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. Hold your legs joined collectively.
- Carry your palms under your shoulders and unfold your fingers to create a agency assist and unfold the burden evenly.
- Inhale and carry your head, chest and backbone upwards whereas retaining your pelvis and legs on the mat. Hold 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 Hearth.
- 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 fully.
9. Archer pose
Bodily talking, the archer pose will strengthen your quads, legs, knees, shoulders, and arms. Internally, it is going to 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 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 fitting knee in order that your thighs are parallel to the ground and your knee is according to the ankle. Ensure your proper foot heel is according to 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 should 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 Rest
Simply as a Hatha Yoga session ends with Savasana (Corpse Pose), Kundalini Yoga additionally incorporates a deep rest method. The aim is just like enable the physique to soak up and benefit from the modifications led to by the kriyas. You possibly can bask within the rejuvenating power of your aura and let your physique totally calm down.
Merely lie in your again along with your arms by your sides, palms dealing with up. Shut your eyes and calm down 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 aim of any yoga apply.