Chapter 1: Introduction

The Art & Science of Kundalini Yoga

There is nothing quite like Kundalini Yoga. In an incredibly short amount of time, any person can transport themselves from a lackluster state into a vibrant space of clarity, vitality, and joy. In just a single session, accumulated stress can be released from the body, the nervous system regulated, the endocrines brought into balance, and the mind can experience a serene state of awareness that is often awe-inspiring. Yet the most profound effects of Kundalini Yoga come with consistent practice over time. It is only through consistency that one can truly begin to understand what this sacred practice is and how it actually works. This is why sadhana (one’s daily practice) becomes the cornerstone for the Kundalini Yoga teacher. One cannot expect to be a great teacher without adopting a great practice that you return to again and again. Naturally, to attempt to describe exactly what Kundalini Yoga is and how it works is a very difficult task. It will take the entirety of this training and beyond to do justice to that endeavor. After all, this is a science and an art that relies largely on one’s personal experience. It is the inner experience facilitated by the practice, which will ultimately explain this yoga to you. In the meantime, it is crucial that you become steeped in the wonderful yogic science and philosophy that the practice rests upon. Here, you are embarking upon a journey that involves acquiring knowledge and then transmuting that knowledge into wisdom via your inner experience. This type of embodied wisdom is called gyan. The more wisdom you carry, the brighter you shine. Gradually, your path becomes crystal clear, and you live with greater and greater prosperity and purpose. As a student and a teacher in the Life-Force Academy (LFA) approach to Kundalini Yoga, you will not be asked to adopt a new belief system. In fact, belief is not necessary at all. You will, however, need to be immersed in the ancient science and philosophy that acts as the backbone for this practice. Without the classical science and philosophy of yoga, the system would become weak, and the practice would lose its true substance. Kundalini Yoga is a profound and sacred practice whose roots reach back thousands of years. It is a practical system of exercise and meditation and is extraordinarily sophisticated in its understanding of the multifaceted human organism. Its in-depth knowledge of both our subtle and gross anatomy gives it a special potency which is rare and valuable for the modern person living in an increasingly stressful world. Our bodies are not just flesh and bones. Beyond our body’s complex physical network of nerves, tissues, organs, and glands, there is a subtle network of life-force (prana), subtle channels (naadis), wheels of energy (chakras), and various other sheaths of subtlety. The yogis of ancient India created sophisticated maps of our inner architecture. They have been studied, tested, and nurtured over hundreds of years, and have stood the test of time. This is the foundation on which the technology of Kundalini Yoga rests. Kundalini Yoga employs various practices (kriyas) which utilize a combination of breathwork (pranayama), postures (asana), chanting technology (mantra), meditation techniques, and sound current (naad) to create an experience that harmonizes and tunes the human instrument. At its essence, it works with the subtle energy system of the body to activate the flow of life-force, remove blockages, expand the field of awareness, and thus align one with their true nature (sat naam). From there, all good things flow. Kundalini Yoga does not turn someone into something they are not. It does the opposite. It purifies away that which obstructs their true nature. An inner brilliance shines forth. A new confidence is born. They are filled with a feeling of vital energy and a sense of self-empowerment. No longer does one feel dependent on the others in their life, or their life circumstances, to keep them sane. A new type of happiness has been born. It is like discovering a secret treasure, and now that treasure has to be tended to and taken care of so it may forever grow. To tend to our inner happiness is perhaps the most important task of our daily life. Thus, the LFA approach to Kundalini Yoga is far more than a physical practice. It is a path of dharma. It is ‘a way,’ a living discipline, a sacred art. The science of Kundalini Yoga is to be studied, understood, tested, and refined through your experience. The art of Kundalini Yoga is to bring its essence alive in the context of your unique life. There is nobody quite like you. Nobody exists with exactly the same wiring. You have extraordinary gifts to nurture, obstacles to traverse, and beauty to share. It is why you are here. Regardless of whether you plan to become a teacher of Kundalini Yoga in the most literal sense, this is a path of self-blossoming. It is a commitment to discovering and embodying the greatest expression of who and what you are. It is a way of elegance and realness. It is a recognition that nourishing your own inner happiness is intimately intertwined with nourishing a genuine concern for others. When we exalt others, we exalt ourselves. When we discover the treasure of our own true nature, we discover it simultaneously as the treasure that dwells within all others. This is the spirit in which this sacred technology shall always be shared.

Important Terms

Key Concepts – Description Sadhana (Daily Practice) – The cornerstone for the teacher; consistent spiritual discipline. Gyan (Embodied Wisdom) – Knowledge transmuted into wisdom via inner experience. Prana – The subtle network of life-force. Naadis – Subtle channels for life-force. Chakras – Wheels of energy in the subtle body. Kriyas – Practices that utilize a combination of techniques. Pranayama – Breathwork. Asana – Postures. Mantra – Chanting technology. Naad – Sound current. Sat Naam – One’s true nature. Dharma – One’s path, duty, or righteous way of living; a living discipline or sacred art.

How to Begin Your Practice

The first lesson of a Kundalini Yoga teacher is on how to begin. When it comes to things of importance, the energy we set as we begin that thing ripples across the entirety of what is to follow. The beginning of an important activity is a point of power. Particularly in the case of yoga practice, where we are directly working with the very energy of the body, mind, and consciousness, special attention should be given to how the practice is both opened and closed. Therefore, we ritualize the opening and closing of a practice for three primary purposes: ● A Clear Beginning For the Mind ● Conscious Motivation & Intention ● Connecting to the Golden Chain A CLEAR BEGINNING FOR THE MIND As we will learn, once the practice begins, the priorities for our mind’s activity must shift. Ordinarily, our mind is allowed to move in whichever way it pleases. Once the practice of yoga begins, the mind is intentionally shifted to a new focus — one which will work to concentrate the life-force into the central channel, and thus bring the mind into its meditative power. If we are simply doing the exercises without shifting the mind’s point of focus, we are not yet practicing yoga. So, the formal opening of a practice creates a clear boundary for our mind to shift its direction from an outer flow to an inner concentration. CONSCIOUS MOTIVATION & INTENTION Second, here at this beginning point, we become conscious of our motivations and project our intention: Personal Orientation We have many intentions in life, and many things that motivate us into action. We may have the intent to become happy, to find fulfillment in the many domains of life, to experience prosperity, and so forth. So our initial intent is largely the genuine wishes that we have for our own well-being. In different seasons of our lives, this will express itself in different forms. At times, it is our love relationship that is asking for attention. At another moment, it is our work world or our health. In any case, the beginning of a practice is a powerful moment to offer your heart’s wishes for your life. Personal intent is a great start, but if we stopped there, we would be selling ourselves short. Others Orientation If our intentions are simply focused on only our own predicament, we risk becoming overly self-oriented. Therefore, especially when working with a practice that has the capacity to generate tremendous amounts of personal shakti (power), it is imperative that the primary disposition and motivation include not only our personal wishes for ourselves, but also the well-being of others in our lives. While on the surface this may seem like some moralistic stance, or a type of spiritual politeness, it is not. This is an essential wisdom practice that has been passed on through time as a means to both expand one’s inner capacities and to protect the yogi from the dangers that come with self-exaltation. While one’s sense of magnificence expands, simultaneously, one’s sense of ego must be purified. We must always be on the lookout for our own inner narcissism. When narcissism takes on a spiritual tone, it is particularly sticky and tends to leave a long trail of suffering in its wake. Therefore, in the moments when our practice is beginning, we not only vibrate the wishes for our own life, but we then ‘turn the heart inside out’ and widen our radius of concern to include three rings of ‘others.’ THE FOUR IMMEASURABLES For this, we can lean upon what Shakaymuni Buddha named the ‘Four Immeasurables,’ or the ‘Four Immensities,’ or the ‘Four Boundless Attitudes.’ Mettā मै�ी - Boundless Love The wish that all beings have happiness and the causes of happiness Karuṇā करुणा - Boundless Compassion The wish that all beings be free of suffering and the causes of suffering Muditā मुिदता - Boundless Joy The wish that wherever happiness exists, may it remain and grow Upekṣā उपे�ा - Boundless Equanimity The extension of the first three wishes towards the three rings of friend, adversary, and neutral As you progress through this training, you will become more and more familiar with the Four Immeasurables. The key idea, though, is to develop an authentic relationship with how you personally work with them and employ them in your own life and practice.