Why do we choose to practice Kundalini Yoga?
Why do we decide to follow a spiritual path?
Regardless of the path or the practice, one of our primary motivating factors is that we want to change something in our lives.
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We want to reduce our inner anxiety and experience peace of mind.
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We want to feel better, to be happier, to be healthier.
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We want more vitality, more passion, more joy.
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We want a better life, loving relationships, meaningful and prosperous work.
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We may want to lose weight, sharpen our intuition, or be more in control or our own lives.
The human journey is about change, transformation and evolution.
To change we must understand where we are and how we got here.
To transform we must transform our inner and projected energy.
To evolve we must actively engage in the creation of our own reality.
So how do we create the changes that we desire?
How do we transform our energy?
How do we become more conscious participants in our own lives?
Assumptions
My approach to change, transformation and evolution is based on the following assumptions.
1. Everything in the Universe is made up of energy, including ourselves.
To make changes in our lives, we have to shift our energy.
2. Our inner reality creates our outer reality.
As we shift our mental, emotional and physical states, we create changes in our circumstances, environments and relationships.
3. Whatever the problem, challenge or situation, "It's all about me and my life."
4. Free Will is the gift that we humans were given to make changes in our lives.
The evolutionary nature of the Universe, ensures that we will grow and be transformed. Free Will gives us an opportunity to participate in the process through conscious choice. Free will is what makes change, co-creation and choice possible.
How do we Shift our Energy?
The practice of Kundalini yoga shifts our energy. It does so through a combination of (1) Movement, (2) Breath, (3) Sound, and (4) Rhythm
(1) MOVEMENT
Many of the Kundalini yoga exercises or asanas involve rhythmic movements.
(2) BREATHING OR PRANAYAMA
Rhythmic breathing is incorporated into the exercises as well as done as a meditation in itself. Pranayama exercises also produce effects through attention and pace.
(3) SOUND
The chanting of mantras tunes us into and aligns us with the universal sound current. The effects of mantra meditation include the clearing of the subconscious mind, the creation of divine thoughts and the ability to listen to the sounds of the Universe.
(4) RHYTHM
Rhythm is an integral part of the physical Asanas, the Pranayama and the chanting.
Rhythm is key to establishing identity, stability and health.
How do we Create?
Kundalini yoga is based on the following understanding of how we create our reality--
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The body, mind and emotions respond to movement, rhythm and sound.
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The body, mind and emotions follow the breath.
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How we feel physically, mentally and emotionally determines how we vibrate.
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How we vibrate determines how we project into the world and the Universe.
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What we project determines what we attract and create.
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What we attract and create influences how we feel about ourselves and our lives.
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If we do not like what we are creating, we can choose to shift our attitudes, our perceptions and our energy.
The scenario continues and intertwines.
Model for Transformation
This course in Kundalini Yoga is based on the following model of transformation:
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Change yourself - your thoughts, your energy, your projection and your life will change.
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Our touchstone is - Every situation and challenge is all about ME, my energy and my life!
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We live in the question - What can I do, how can I be today to align and resonate with the life I choose to create for myself?
Kundalini Yoga is About
(1) Experience
(2) Activation
(3) Alignment
(4) Evolutionary Change
(5) Awareness and Consciousness
(6) Responsibility, and
(7) Self-empowerment.
Below is a brief explanation of each of these concepts and guidelines on how to focus your attention during your practice of Kundalini Yoga to maximize your transformation.
(1) EXPERIENCE
Life in physical reality is about experience.
Beliefs define the parameters within which we limit or allow ourselves to experience life.
Experience is the extent to which we actually feel life.
Our goal is to experience our energy and a sense of ourselves in our body.
(2) ACTIVATION
By moving and stimulating the body, we keep it healthy--
we build a strong immune system and nervous system
we keep our glands, circulation and structure vital.
The body is the temple of our Soul. As we cleanse, relax and systematically move our body we revitalize and maintain our temple we activate our dormant potentials we invite more aspects of our Soul to become known to us.
(3) ALIGNMENT
By raising the frequency of our energy, we move into greater alignment and resonance with our higher Self, i.e. our Soul, the Universe, what we wish to attract into our lives, our destiny path.
(4) EVOLUTIONARY CHANGE
As we change our energy, we change our lives.
Change happens incrementally.
Permanent change requires shifts in all aspects of our being-
mental, emotional, physical, spiritual.
The practice of Kundalini yoga creates changes in all aspects of our being.
(5) AWARENESS AND CONSCIOUSNESS
Consistent practice of Kundalini yoga wakes us up and keeps us awake.
We become more aware of our thoughts and emotions and how they create our internal and external realities.
We become more aware of opportunities and are able to take advantage of them.
(6) RESPONSIBILITY
Within each of us in the power to create.
We are creating at every moment.
When we take responsibility for what we create:
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we release ourselves from victimization
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we establish our own identity
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we develop a sense of our own individuality
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we become a powerful independent force.
The root of self-esteem is taking responsibility for one's own life.
(7) SELF-EMPOWERMENT
Self-empowerment is both a feeling and an experience.
The feeling of self-empowerment has two aspects:
1. The inner experience that we are the creator of our own life
that what we do, think, and say has an impact that we are connected to and a part of the creative Source.
2. Witnessing that as we change, our life changes--
that we can actually create a different reality by altering our thoughts, words and actions.
Self-empowerment comes from consciously participating in creating our own life.
Guidlines for Practicing Kundalini Yoga
(1) HOW TO EXPERIENCE
We experience energy as NON-VERBAL sensations. If we are thinking we are not feeling!
Focus your attention on what you are experiencing in your body.
Feel the energy in your body
where it is blocked
how it moves
when and how it changes.
Be present to the different sensations of the emotions-fear, anger and sadness.
The emotions are the force field of the soul.
Each communicates in a different way.
Alignment with and transformation of emotional energy happens through
allowing
accepting
loving.
It is through gentle experience and acknowledgment that tightness, restriction, resistance and pain are gradually transmuted into openness, vitality and pleasure.
Be aware of the energy sensations in your spine.
Each chakra manifests a different kind of energy.
Be aware of the different qualities of energy along your spine and in your body.
(2) HOW TO ACTIVATE
The purpose of Kundalini Yoga is to activate all parts of our body, so that it can function optimally.
Our goal is to enjoy being in our physical form.
It is counter productive to strain or to over extend yourself.
Kundalini yoga is not a competitive sport.
Do each exercise with the intention of stimulating, freeing and opening up your body, energy and breath.
(3) HOW TO ALIGN
Be aware of what feels comfortable and what feels out of alignment.
Let the movements bring you back into alignment.
Establish your own comfortable rhythm.
Between exercises, simply be still and aware. Let the energy align your body.
Be present to the rhythm of your breath in your chest.
Our being as expressed in our energy has its own intelligence.
Our energy automatically goes where it needs to go to create healing and alignment.
Our goal is not to interfere, but to simply let it happen.
(4) HOW TO CHANGE
Change is guaranteed when we practice Kundalini yoga.
All we have to do is to DO IT.
We can simply enjoy the practice and trust that it will work its magic.
Monitor changes in your body, energy level, attitudes, feelings, and emotions.
Release
Negative thoughts and emotions must be experienced to be released.
We often try to avoid this stage because it can be painful.
The good news is that if beliefs and emotions are close enough to the surface to be experienced, they can also be released.
The easiest way to release is through loving acceptance, without resistance and judgment.
Permanent release can be facilitated by thoughts and decisions, but the mental aspect is only one dimension.
Release must take place in the physical body at the sensation level.
Positive Results
Acknowledge, give yourself credit for and enjoy the positive shifts in your inner and outer realities.
(5) HOW TO BECOME AWARE AND CONSCIOUS
Be aware of what is happening in your body, mind and emotions.
Mindfully train yourself to turn your attention from external stimuli to yourself.
Be attentive how external stimuli impact how you feel to yourself.
Practice focusing inside instead of outside yourself.
To shift our attention within is one of our most difficult challenges.
Inner focus is one of the most important requirements for spiritual growth.
(6) HOW TO BE RESPONSIBLE
Own your feelings and emotions. Make them about you, not about someone else or outer circumstances.
This does not mean that you must try to pretend to like everything.
You won't! Guaranteed! You are not supposed to. Life doesn't work that way. Only denial works that way.
Being responsible means that you take responsibility for how you feel, react and respond.
Eventually we come to a point where our reactions are not automatically controlled by unconscious programming
where we are internally at choice in our responses
where we are in charge of our inner reality.
Only then we are able to act, speak and project responsibly.
(7) HOW TO BECOME SELF-EMPOWERED
Inner focus is one of our most rewarding and empowering achievements.
Once we realize what we are doing within, we can alter our inner habits and thus change both our inner and outer realities.
Monitor, acknowledge and thoroughly enjoy how you shift within the results you produce without and the relationship between the two.
Enjoy Your Process - This is Your Life
Choose any aspect of the above guidelines and bring your attention to it during your practice of Kundalini Yoga. Definitely do not try to do all or even several at once. Enjoy your process-how you change, what you create and how your choices make a difference in your evolutionary unfoldment.
This is your unique life. May each of you be blessed to experience the wonders of your own being!
Send comments or questions to
gururattan@kundaliniyoga.org
Copyright © 2003 - Guru Rattana, Ph.D.
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